Tskhinvali plans to discuss Tbilisi's non-use of force commitment and bring up the issue of refugees and international observers during talks on December 16 in Geneva, South Ossetia presidential envoy Boris Chochiev said on Wednesday.
"We hope for progress during the forthcoming round of talks," Chochiev said in a statement.
The Geneva discussions on security in the South Caucasus are backed by the UN, the EU and the OSCE and involve Georgia, Russia, South Ossetia and Abkhazia. They were first held in October 2008, following a five-day war between Georgia and Russia over South Ossetia in August.
Georgian leader Mikheil Saakashvili voiced his peace initiative in a speech to the European Parliament in late November, saying that Tbilisi would "never use force to restore its territorial integrity and sovereignty and will only use peaceful means to ensure the withdrawal of the occupation forces and its reunification."
However, the Russian Foreign Ministry expressed doubts over the statement saying that any "solemn promises" made by the Georgian leadership could only be taken seriously after they are put on paper and come into legal force.
South Ossetian authorities said some 1,500 people became victims of the August conflict with Georgia. A total of 162 citizens of the republic were confirmed as dead and 67 Russian servicemen were killed.
Russia recognized Abkhazia and South Ossetia two weeks after the August 2008 war. The decision was slammed by Western powers. So far, only Venezuela, Nicaragua and the tiny island nation of Nauru have recognized the two former Georgian republics' independence.
MOSCOW, December 8 (RIA Novosti)
