Council of Europe: South Ossetia referendum was useless and unfair

The Council of Europe regards the referendum on South Ossetia independence from Georgia to be "excessive, useless and unfair." The statement was made today by Terry Davis, head of the Council of Europe. In his words, the referendum outcomes will not be recognized by the international community, since voting did not contribute to search of peace and political settlement of the conflict. "The circumstances in which the referendum was held, and, in particular, the fact that ethnic Georgians were deprived of the suffrage, make the event meaningless," the Associated Press quotes Mr. T. Davis.

Today, it has become known that according to exit polls the South Ossetian electorate has spoken in favour of independence from Georgia. It is also reported that at Sunday presidential election in South Ossetia, according to nonofficial data, a confident victor was Eduard Kokoity, incumbent president of the Republic.

Observers from 11 countries, including Russia, Ukraine, Poland, Germany, Spain, Venezuela and Jordan were monitoring the course of the election and referendum. Monitors from Abkhazia and Transdniestria were also present.