President of breakaway Abkhazia Sergey Bagapsh announced, in Moscow on March 15, that economic issues should be a priority during talks between Sokhumi and Tbilisi, while political issues can be discussed only after solving economic problems, involving cooperation in the energy sector and the restoration of the railway connection via Abkhazia.
Sergey Bagapsh, who has been visiting Moscow since March 11, articulated Sokhumi’s position at a news conference in Moscow, organized by the Russian news agency Interfax on March 15. He also spoke about the Russian peacekeepers’ role in the conflict zone and Sokhumi’s relations with other secessionists regions.
He said that during the visit to Moscow he met with Russian “business circles” and discussed economic cooperation. “Political issues were not put forward, there was no need,” Bagapsh added. Reports say that Bagapsh also met with Mayor of Moscow Yuri Luzhkov on March 14.
Sergey Bagapsh also said that agreement between Russian President Vladimir Putin and ex-President of Georgia Eduard Shevardnadze signed in 2003 in Sochi should become the basis for launching talks between Sokhumi and Tbilisi.
“Particularly, we are offering to launch talks over the resumption of the railway connection and cooperation in the energy sector. Then it will be possible to start solving political problems,” Sergey Bagapsh was quoted by Interfax news agency as saying at the news conference.
In 2003, the two Georgian and Russian leaders agreed “to synchronize” the process of restoration of the railway link and the return of internally displaced persons (IDP) to Abkhazia, particularly in the Gali district. The agreement also envisages joint activities to rehabilitate the Enguri hydro power plant, which lies at the administrative border between Abkhazia and the rest of Georgia.
Sergey Bagapsh said that a return of internally displaced persons in the Gali district has already started. “Those residents who will return to the Gali district should receive internal passports of Abkhazia. The possibility of granting these people duel citizenship [Georgian-Abkhazian] should also become a subject of discussion,” the Abkhaz leader said.
But Tbilisi considers that a sporadic return of the Georgian displaced person to the Gali district without any security guarantees can not be regarded as a launch of the IDP’s return to Abkhazia.
Sergey Bagapsh also said that the issuing of Russian passports in Abkhazia will continue. “I myself am a citizen of the Russian Federation and the citizen of Abkhazia are as well,” he added.
The Abkhaz leader also said that Abkhazia is ready for “any scenario of relations with Tbilisi.” “But I hope that all of these scenarios will be of a peaceful character,” Bagapsh said, adding that because there is no “peace agreement” signed with the Georgian side “systematic training of reserve forces are being carried out in the Republic.”
Sergey Bagapsh said that there is no alternative to the Russian peacekeeping troops stationed in the conflict zone, which represent the major guarantor of stability in the region. “We are not going to let any other forces but Russian [ones] be deployed there. We have a very clear position in this regard. If the issue of withdrawal of Russian peacekeepers and the coming of others is put on the agenda, then we will take over those positions. But this means fueling tensions,” the Abkhaz leader said.
Bagapsh also spoke about the military base in Gudauta, Abkhazia. Interfax news agency reported quoting Abkhaz leader as saying: “Georgia and Russia are negotiating over the setting up of a joint anti-terrorist center. I think that the [military] base in Gudauta could become this [anti-terrorist center] – there are all preconditions for this.”
In accordance with the 1999 OSCE Istanbul treaty, Russia committed itself to liquidating this military base in 2001. Russia claims that it has pulled out its troops from Gudauta; however Tbilisi insists on international monitoring of the base in an attempt to verify the complete disbanding of this base.
Sergey Bagapsh also called for increasing coordination between the secessionist regions of Abkhazia, South Ossetia, Transdnestria and Nagorno-Karabakh. He said that there are plans being made to hold a summit of leaders of these regions.
“Tomorrow, or the day after tomorrow, we will decide when to hold this meeting,” RIA Novosti news agency reported quoting Bagapsh. The meeting will take place in Moscow, or in one of the cities of Russia’s North Caucasus region.
