Georgian Official: Abkhaz, S.Ossetian Leaders Visit Moscow

Georgian State Minister for Conflict Resolution Issues Goga Khaindrava said on Monday that the leaders of Georgia’s breakaway regions of South Ossetia and Abkhazia are currently visiting Moscow, instead of coming to Tbilisi to meet U.S. President George W. Bush during the latter’s visit to Georgia.

He said that, unfortunately, the Abkhaz and South Ossetian leaders Sergey Bagapsh and Eduard Kokoity respectively rejected Tbilisi’s offer to visit to Tbilisi and meet with George Bush.

“Russia’s role in this [refusal by the secessionist leaders] was crucial… [a joint meeting with George W. Bush] was a really good idea, but it seems that [the secessionist leaders’] independence in respect of the decision-making process is very much restricted [by Moscow],” Goga Khaindrava told Rustavi 2 television station on May 9.

Khaindrava expressed hope that the U.S. President’s visit to Georgia will “positively influence” the resolution of the Abkhaz and South Ossetian conflicts.