Georgia Urges UN for ‘Resolute Steps’ in Abkhazia

In a letter to the UN Security Council, the Georgian ambassador to the UN Revaz Adamia expressed his gratitude towards UN Secretary General Kofi Annan’s efforts aimed at a settelement of the Abkhazian conflict; however he added that “resolute steps are required to overcome the present stalemate” in the decade-old conflict.

“One of the steps that the Security Council could make at this stage, we think, would be a field visit to Georgia – particularly to Sokhumi –to learn firsthand the reality on the ground and try to come out of stalemate in the conflict-resolution process,” Revaz Adamia said in a letter sent to the UN Security Council on October 26.

The Georgian representative to the UN also expresses concerns regarding the presence of illegal armed groups in Abkhazia from the Confederation of North Caucasus Mountain Peoples – the organization, which was actively involved in the 1992-1993 armed conflict in Abkhazia. The Georgian authorities claim that illegal armed groups from Russia infiltrated into Abkhazia after the disputed October 3 presidential elections in the unrecognized republic.

“Notwithstanding this complex development, the Government of Georgia is committed to resuming negotiations for the settlement of the conflict in Abkhazia, Georgia, with any leader who will succeed Mr. Ardzinba [outgoing Abkhaz president]. However, the progress in this matter would require from the Abkhaz side to master the requisite political will for the constructive engagement in the negotiations,” Revaz Adamia says.

“The same extends to the Russian side, which has to overcome its own bias in favor of the secessionists and take into account the interests of the peace process as a whole,” Adamia added.

UN Secretary General Kofi Annan warned in a report to the Security Council on October 20, that the Georgia-Abkhaz peace process has come “perilously close” to a standstill.

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