Georgian, Abkhaz Sides Discuss Rehabilitation Project in Abkhazia

Georgian State Minister for Conflict Resolution Issues Giorgi Khaindrava left for Sokhumi on December 6 to participate in the first session of the steering committee for implementation of the European Commission-funded infrastructure rehabilitation projects in the Abkhaz conflict zone.

The breakaway region?s Foreign Minister Sergey Shamba will represent the Abkhaz side at the session. UN Secretary General?s Special Representative to Georgia Heidi Tagliavini and representatives from the EU, UNDP, as well as representatives from the UN Secretary-General?s Group of Friends – including U.S. Ambassador to Georgia John Tefft – will also participate in the session.

The European Commission-funded EUR 2 million rehabilitation projects are planned to be implemented in the Gali, Ochamchire and Tkvarcheli districts of the unrecognized republic during the next two-three years, in partnership with UNDP and the UN Observer Mission in Georgia (UNOMIG).

Although Abkhaz Foreign Minister Sergey Shamba expressed the Abkhaz side?s interests in implementing these projects, in October he voiced Sokhumi?s protest regarding ?the UN’s intention to include representatives of the Georgian side in the working groups, so that they could work on the territory of Abkhazia.?

It is expected that this issue of the Georgian experts? involvement in implementation of the project in Abkhazia will also be discussed during the session of the steering committee in Sokhumi.

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