Abkhaz Leader Hails Montenegro’s Vote for Independence

Abkhaz leader Sergey Bagapsh welcomed Montenegro’s “civilized way” of gaining independence and said on May 22 that “as the process of self-determination has continued, Abkhazia and South Ossetia should also be granted independence.”

“I do not want to link the independence movement in Abkhazia with the situation in the Balkans. We began pushing this issue much earlier than Montenegro, or Kosovo. But the precedent already exists and the international community should take this into consideration,” Bagapsh told the Interfax news agency.

He also said that Abkhazia’s major concern now is Georgia’s attempts to cease the Russian-led peacekeeping operation in Abkhazia. Bagapsh said that he informed U.S. Ambassador to Georgia John Tefft about this during the meeting in Sokhumi on May 22.

“The withdrawal of the Russian peacekeepers will result in an escalation of tensions in the border areas,” Bagapsh added.

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