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Tbilisi Sides with Bagapsh, Calls on Moscow for Restraint

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  • Tbilisi Sides with Bagapsh, Calls on Moscow for Restraint

    Civil Georgia, Georgia
    Dec 3 2004

    Tbilisi Sides with Bagapsh, Calls on Moscow for Restraint

    Giorgi Sepashvili, Civil Georgia / 2004-12-03 15:09:00

    Tbilisi, which had previously tried to distance itself from the
    Abkhaz election crisis, made it clear on December 3 that, unlike
    Moscow, it will support opposition leader Sergey Bagapsh, who intends
    to be inaugurated as the new President of unrecognized republic on
    December 6.

    Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili commented over the
    developments in Abkhazia on December 3 and recognized Sergey Bagapsh
    as the President-election of the breakaway region; however he
    condemned the October 3 presidential polls in Abkhazia as
    `illegitimate.'

    Saakashvili said that Tbilisi is ready to hold peace talks over the
    Abkhaz conflict resolution only with Bagapsh, who represents the
    majority of the population that currently lives in Abkhazia.

    Saakashvili, who was speaking in Tbilisi at a meeting with the
    representatives of the Georgian-Abkhaz Relations Institute, said that
    the elections in Abkhazia were illegitimate, as most of the
    population of the region, which was forced to flee Abkhazia as a
    result of 1992-93 armed conflict, could not participate in it.

    But the President added that the majority of those who currently live
    in Abkhazia voted for opposition leader Sergey Bagapsh.

    `The elections in Abkhazia were illegitimate, because not only ethnic
    Georgians, but also many Russians, Jews, Armenians [who lived in
    Abkhazia before armed conflict] could not return to Abkhazia and
    participate in the elections. At the same time, it is quite clear
    that those people who participated in the elections, expressed the
    opinion of the majority of the remaining population and they
    supported Sergey Bagapsh in these elections' Saakashvili said.

    `The Georgian authorities are ready to launch a dialogue with the new
    authorities of Abkhazia, namely with Sergey Bagapsh, who enjoys the
    support of most Abkhazians,' he added.

    However, Saakashvili also warned that `nobody should have the
    illusion that Tbilisi will reject its objective regarding the
    restoration of Georgia's territorial integrity.'

    `This is our supreme goal. However, this will not occur at the
    expense of the Abkhaz people. We need dialogue,' Saakashvili stated.

    The Georgian authorities are also trying to focus more international
    attention on Abkhazia, as Bagapsh's inauguration day encroaches.
    Georgian Foreign Minister Salome Zourabichvili met with foreign
    Ambassadors accredited in Georgia on December 2 to inform them
    regarding the recent developments in Abkhazia.

    `Today all the attention of the international community has turned to
    the developments in Ukraine, which may result in less interest
    towards the Abkhazian issue. But we think that most alarming events
    may develop in Abkhazia now, because we have already witnessed those
    measures carried out by Moscow [in Abkhazia],' Salome Zourabichvili
    said, referring to Russia's active involvement in recent crisis.

    Salome Zourabichvili said that arrival of Russia's Interior Ministry
    and General Prosecutor's Office top-official to Abkhazia `is not a
    good sign, it may be a very bad sign.'

    Moscow, which supports pro-governmental presidential contender Raul
    Khajimba, has already imposed sanctions on Abkhazia by halting its
    rail link with Abkhazia and banning the import of agricultural
    products from Abkhazia, in an attempt to mount pressure on Sergey
    Bagapsh.

    `We do not think that the natural situation inside Abkhazia will lead
    to this kind of destabilization. Destabilization may occur only in
    the event of interference of external forces. That is why we want our
    friendly countries to be informed about the situation in Abkhazia, so
    they can pay more attention and, if they can, influence Russia and
    call on Russia for restraint,' the Georgian Foreign Minister said.

    Meanwhile, outgoing President of Abkhazia Vladislav Ardzinba, who
    supports Raul Khajimba, reiterated that he will not step down,
    despite the planned inauguration of Sergey Bagapsh. The press office
    of Ardzinba issued a press statement on December 3 describing the
    inauguration of opposition leader Sergey Bagapsh, scheduled for
    December 6, as `illegal.'

    `Under the current conditions, the Cabinet of the Republic of
    Abkhazia has no legal ground to organize a solemn ceremony for
    inaugurating Sergey Bagapsh as the newly elected President. Nor can
    the presidential credentials be delivered to him,' RIA Novosti news
    agency quotes the statement.

    The statement stresses that the ministries and state departments of
    breakaway Abkhazia are still under the subordination to the current
    President until the holding of repeat presidential elections occur.
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