APPEAL OF THE PARLIAMENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF SOUTH OSSETIA TO THE PRESIDENT OF THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION V. V. PUTIN

To His Excellency Putin Vladimir Vladimirovich

The President of the Russian Federation

Honorable Vladimir Vladimirovich,

In January of 1992, after dissolution of the Soviet Union, the people of South Ossetia expressed their will at the Referendum and determined their further destiny through asking the authorities of the Russian Federation for accepting our Republic within Russia.  99% of the population voted in favor of this decision.  This decision was not the result of the momentary state of affairs, but the deliberate step made by the people as the historical need.

Ossetian people always have been with Russia de facto, considering ourselves as indivisible part of it, serving hand and foot with her in all times. Our people still maintain the same position although there are open stresses and direct threats from the side of Georgian authorities, as well as the covert pressure from the representatives of the UNO, OSE and other international organizations.  We remain economically and spiritually within the orbit of Russia.  The Russian ruble is the only legal currency on the territory of the Republic of South Ossetia; Russian is the official language; instruction in all educational institutions is conducted in Russian; and more than half of the population is the citizen of the Russian Federation.

In short, our people can not imagine themselves without Russia and we will stand for our choice.

Proceeding from the aforementioned and given the effect of the recent legal acts adopted by the Russian Federation, we earnestly ask you, Honorable Vladimir Vladimirovich, to secure your personal involvement on further decision of the destiny of our people.

Forever with Russia!

With the sincere respect,

Chairman of the parliament of the Republic of South Ossetia S. Y. Kochiev

Tskhinval, 12 October 2001

(Conflicts in Abkhazia and South Ossetia. Documents 1989-2006 (Supplement to “Kavkazskie Sborniki”, edition #1). Collected and commented by M. A. Volkhonski, B. A. Zakharov, N. Y. Silaev. – Moscow, 2008, p. 221-222/in Russian)