A couple of thoughts:

"Technically there is no such thing" is a disturbing statement. That phrase essentially validates Lucas' point that the OOT is not Star Wars, that there is only one movie, the current 2011 one.

There is some logic in Disney opting to digitize the 1997 version. It is the cheapest way for them to sorta claim they are releasing the original version. In 1997 the original film was cleaned up and new prints made, also with some alterations. They could simply 4K scan the 1997, leave out the Jabba scene, and claim it's the original. With the exception of Han shooting second, most viewers wouldn't know the difference, and with Jabba gone the scan resolution would be excellent. By contrast, making an equally-good-looking scan of the real OOT would be a lot more work. Easy way out, and they'd still rake in a load of easy cash.