Georgia Blames Russia for No Progress in Abkhaz Conflict Settlement

(Tbilisi, December 14, 2002. Civil Georgia) – Georgian authorities claim that Russia is to blame for the lack of progress in the resolving of the Abkhazian conflict.

Georgian Deputy Foreign Minister Merab Antadze told journalists on 13 December, that Moscow consistently blocks all initiatives by the remaining members of the so-called “Friends of the UN Secretary-General” grouping aimed at achieving a settlement.

Merab Antadze stated that for the past six months Moscow has prevented any discussion of the document on “Basic Principles of Distribution of the Competences Between Tbilisi and Sokhumi [capital of breakaway Abkhazia].”

Speaking in Tbilisi on December 13 at the meeting of the Parliamentary Committee on Defense and Security Georgia’ envoy in the UN Revaz Adamia said that Russia and Syria objected the document on “Basic Principles” at the meeting of the UN Security Council on December 9, when the UN Under-Secretary-General for the peacekeeping operations Jean-Marie Guehenno briefed the Security Council regarding the situation in the conflict zone.

Georgian government hails the provisions of the document, as it considers Abkhazia’s status within the Georgian state. The details of the paper remain confidential. Abkhaz side refuses to launch talks and discuss the provisions of the document, as it demands independence. 

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