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EU: RUSSIA MAY BE PREPARING TO RECOGNIZE ABKHAZIA
PanARMENIAN.Net
11.03.2008 13:25 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Russia may be preparing to recognize Georgia's
breakaway republic of Abkhazia, weeks after Kosovo's Western-backed
secession from Serbia, a senior EU official said on Monday.
Russia dropped formal trade restrictions on the rebel region on
Thursday, prompting the pro-Western Georgian government to accuse
Moscow of trying to destabilize the Caucasus region.
"There is a growing preoccupation and anxiety that Russia may be
paving the way for recognition of Abkhazia," EU External Relations
Commissioner Benita Ferrero-Waldner said while reaffirming EU support
for Georgia's borders.
"Georgia's territorial integrity has always been clearly supported
by the EU...this is absolutely clear," she told a news conference
before EU foreign ministers were due to discuss Georgia at their
monthly meeting in Brussels.
"We will be discussing Georgia and...what can we do in order to
support more strongly Georgia in a difficult situation."
She said two EU states, Sweden and Poland, had written to the EU
to call for the bloc to do more to stabilize Georgia ahead of the
country's parliamentary election in May. Ferrero-Waldner said EU help
could include easier visas and a trade pact.
Some analysts have linked Moscow's move to Kosovo's declaration of
independence from Serbia last month, which was backed by the West
but strongly opposed by Russia.
Russia has long argued that Western recognition of Kosovo's secession
sets a precedent that will cause chaos by pushing other regions of
the world to seek independence. The European Union argues that Kosovo
is a one-off case.
Moscow had maintained a formal ban on trade with Abkhazia from 1996,
though Georgia says Russia had for years also provided financial aid
to prop up the rebels.
Georgian politicians have said the lifting of Russia's formal sanctions
on Abkhazia relieves Moscow of obligations not to send weapons,
military equipment or Russian mercenaries there.
Abkhazia has repeatedly pressed for international recognition and
followed up Kosovo's unilateral declaration of independence with a
renewed diplomatic campaign over the past three weeks, Reuters reports
PanARMENIAN.Net
11.03.2008 13:25 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Russia may be preparing to recognize Georgia's
breakaway republic of Abkhazia, weeks after Kosovo's Western-backed
secession from Serbia, a senior EU official said on Monday.
Russia dropped formal trade restrictions on the rebel region on
Thursday, prompting the pro-Western Georgian government to accuse
Moscow of trying to destabilize the Caucasus region.
"There is a growing preoccupation and anxiety that Russia may be
paving the way for recognition of Abkhazia," EU External Relations
Commissioner Benita Ferrero-Waldner said while reaffirming EU support
for Georgia's borders.
"Georgia's territorial integrity has always been clearly supported
by the EU...this is absolutely clear," she told a news conference
before EU foreign ministers were due to discuss Georgia at their
monthly meeting in Brussels.
"We will be discussing Georgia and...what can we do in order to
support more strongly Georgia in a difficult situation."
She said two EU states, Sweden and Poland, had written to the EU
to call for the bloc to do more to stabilize Georgia ahead of the
country's parliamentary election in May. Ferrero-Waldner said EU help
could include easier visas and a trade pact.
Some analysts have linked Moscow's move to Kosovo's declaration of
independence from Serbia last month, which was backed by the West
but strongly opposed by Russia.
Russia has long argued that Western recognition of Kosovo's secession
sets a precedent that will cause chaos by pushing other regions of
the world to seek independence. The European Union argues that Kosovo
is a one-off case.
Moscow had maintained a formal ban on trade with Abkhazia from 1996,
though Georgia says Russia had for years also provided financial aid
to prop up the rebels.
Georgian politicians have said the lifting of Russia's formal sanctions
on Abkhazia relieves Moscow of obligations not to send weapons,
military equipment or Russian mercenaries there.
Abkhazia has repeatedly pressed for international recognition and
followed up Kosovo's unilateral declaration of independence with a
renewed diplomatic campaign over the past three weeks, Reuters reports