Abkhazia Discusses Peace Plan

The Parliament of breakaway Abkhazia discussed on May 6 a document on the “Comprehensive Resolution of the Georgian-Abkhaz Conflict,” proposed by Abkhaz leader Sergey Bagapsh, Apsnipress news agency reported.

The Abkhaz parliamentarians hailed the fact that the Abkhaz side was the first to propose a peace plan over conflict resolution; although they also noted that the proposed peace plan needs further elaboration, according to Apsnipress.

The Georgian government was expected to propose its peace plan over the Abkhaz conflict by May 1, 2006, as envisaged by a resolution passed by the Georgian Parliament last October, but the peace plan has not yet been submitted to the Georgian Parliament.

According to Apsnipress, the Abkhaz side’s peace plans, named the “Key to the Future,” offers Tbilisi “to re-assess its mistakes of the past and apologize to the Abkhaz people for the state policy of assimilation, war and isolation; to say no to a policy of political and economic pressure on Abkhazia; to give up their policy of economic and information blockade [of Abkhazia]; to sign a peace agreement which will provide security on land, sea and in the air; to provide guarantees from the international community and UN Security Council on non-resumption of hostilities between Georgia and Abkhazia; to launch consultations between the Presidents on terms of the peaceful coexistence of two states [Georgia and Abkhazia]; to cooperate in the fight against organized crime; to develop modern and civilized methods of cooperation in frames of European neighborhood strategy; to say no to the politization of economic issues, in particular, of the [Abkhaz] railway rehabilitation project.”

The peace plan reiterates the Abkhaz position about the “counter-productiveness” of pushing Russia out from the peace process.

“The document reflects the aspiration of our people towards independence… The President’s [Sergey Bagapsh] initiative should be approved,” Apsnipress quoted Abkhaz MP Viacheslav Tsugba.

But some other parliamentarians called for a cautious approach to certain issues outlined in the peace plan.

“The idea of the document itself is very good, because the initiative reflects our demands towards the Georgian President to recognize Abkhaz independence. But there are provisions in the document that can become a source of double interpretation, in particular, the part of the document which deals with refugees. Who guarantees that the refugees who repatriate to the Gali district [of Abkhazia] will not resort to arms against us? We should also not say ‘yes’ to a railway via Abkhazia before recognition of our independence,” Abkhaz MP Teimuraz Achugba was quoted by Apsnipress.