Herbert Salber, EU special representative at Geneva talks congratulated Anatoli Bibilov with a victory (at Presidential elections in selfproclaimed secessionist entity - South Ossetia) and wished him a success in his ‘future' activity.

This denotes that EU official representative, first - recognizes the legitimacy of such elections (at the time when Georgia does not recognize them); and second - wished him a success in his activity, that mean, that according to his preelections program, he encouraged him to detach the oldest, bone and flesh Georgian territory in favor for Russian Federation.

At the same time, the EU officially recognizes the unity and integrity of Georgian territory and condemned the fact of so-called presidential elections, not so long time ago. In such situation, if the EU will not recall this envoy to replace him with someone else, this makes us think that the EU changed his position towards us in this vitally important question. This simple conclusion is derived from the elementary logics.

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To put aside all unnecessary emotions, first of all we have to find out why this happen. If we will not untangle this knot with a precise diligence, we will not be able to avoid emotions and make additional burden of mistakes that we have plenty of, for the last 30 years.

We can tell for the sure, only thanks to the absurdist and inconsistent policy of our government from 1992-1994 up to today, towards both secessionists, all this staff happens in Tskhinvali, as a consequence.

Herbert Salber is a bone and flesh diplomat. And any novel and student knows that the basics of the diplomacy an etiquette is, correctness at the diplomatic negotiations.

To imagine a model of the above mentioned situation, the following is clear;

We are complaining why Salber tells, what he tells at the meeting with Anatoli Bibilov.

He will be a bit surprised "But what could I tell at the official diplomatic meeting in Tskhinvali: "You jerk..., who are you at all - there were not any elections!"
- But You could tell nothing in this respect.
- I am sorry, but I was holding a meeting with the president and the diplomatic ethics demands to tell such phrases.
- Ha, President, South Ossetia also is not any republic, it is nothing, and you are talking with them at the diplomatic language..
- But why you yourself are talking with them as with the equals starting from 1992 up to today. Why were you signing with them agreements - with Abkhazia and South Osetia? Acting in such way denotes you are admitting them as a party. And if so, I have to hold with them negotiations as with the ‘party' in a conflict. And the negotiations are to be hold in a frames of an etiquette.
- But why you attended these negotiations at all. You could avoid them.
- This absurd is. I am an EU representative at Geneva talks. And in this format Georgia and South Osseta are taking part as equals, do you like this or not. At Geneva negotiations format you indeed equal are.
As for me, I am obliged to talk politely with all three parties, saving the diplomatic etiquette. Do you think I will be selective when talking with you? In no case. If Anatoli Bibilov bandit is but not politician and the South Ossetia is nothing, then why are you admitting them as parties so many years! Why were you holding negotiations with them as with the legitimate entities. Why you yourself were concluding with them the ‘peace agreements' starting from 1992?

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But we are not able to understand such logics. And maybe the public will be irritated too with this. At the same time our ‘friend' Russian Federation Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, who is a diplomat of extra class, knows very well, what will follow after the meetings of the same kind in another secessionist ‘entity' - Abkhazia. According to the diplomatic protocol, logics and traditions such meetings will be conducted in the same way as with Anatoly Bibilov. That's why he insists eagerly for meeting of Geneva talks co-chairs with the ‘leaders' of both secessionists.

In other words, the EU representatives have to, either refuse meeting with leader of secessionists, or if the meeting will be held they are obliged to congratulate them with the victory in elections. This not only a tradition is, but a professional instinct of the diplomat, and the diplomat will not sacrifice it for Georgia's sake.

In fact, we have no reasons to be angry at Salber. Really, we have to look back and think that for the last 25 years our unwise policy did everything possible ‘to help' making legitimate its entities - ‘to help' secessionists and Moscow. All this happens starting from Dargomis agreement where Saakashvili was involved and was continued with Goga Khaindrava, Temur Iakobashvili and Paata Zakareishvili.

You yourself recognized the South Osstia as a party, and if so, it is a legitimate entity. And the ‘entity'... has a right for elections. Europe cannot sacrifice for your sake the diplomatic etiquette, not the values and neither a common sense!

http://eeas.europa.eu/policies/eu-special-representatives/herbert_salber/herbert_salber_cv_designated.pdf

Nika Imnaishvili