Alasania: Sending Troops to Abkhazia was a Mistake

Georgian Presidential representative for Abkhaz conflict issues Irakli Alasania, who also chairs the Tbilisi-based Abkhaz government-in-exile, said on August 14 that the Georgian government?s decision to send troops to Abkhazia in 1992 was a mistake which led to a huge tragedy.

Alasania was speaking after laying a wreath at the memorial of Georgia’s fallen soldiers in Tbilisi to commemorate those who died in the Abkhaz conflict which began 13 years ago on August 14, 1992.
 
?This day should be a reminder for each statesman and political decision-maker that such a mistake can lead to tragedy. I will never hesitate to say that initiating war in Abkhaz was a big mistake,? Irakli Alasania told reporters.
 
The Georgian government dispatched troops to the Abkhaz Autonomous Republic in 1992 under the pretext of protecting the Abkhaz section of the Russian-Georgian railway. Georgian troops were forced to withdraw from Abkhazia in September 1993. Reportedly, more than 12,000 people died during the 13-month long armed conflict.

This post is also available in: ქართული (Georgian)