Sokhumi Calls on U.S. to Give Up ‘Pro-Georgian Stance’

The Abkhaz side wants the United States to change its “pro-Georgian stance to neutral” while dealing with the resolution of the Abkhaz conflict, Secretary of the National Security Council of breakaway Abkhazia Stanislav Lakoba told Abkhaz news agency Apsnipress on November 21.

“The Abkhaz side welcomes active international mediation, but we are concerned that some of mediators, mainly the United States, adhere to a pro-Georgian stance instead of being neutral… This support of Georgia by the United States is unconstructive and inappropriate to the present political realities,” Lakoba said.

His comments come shortly after a visit made by U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs Matthew Bryza to Sokhumi on November 18.

Lakoba noted that the U.S. is mainly “concerned about Sokhumi’s plans” towards Tbilisi-controlled upper Kodori Gorge in breakaway Abkhazia.

“The United States is concerned about whether we will carry out a military operation there [in upper Kodori Gorge] or not. However, at the same time they are not ready to use levers and make Georgia withdraw its troops from Kodori Gorge,” Lakoba said.
 
Meanwhile, Abkhaz Foreign Minister Sergey Shamba described the U.S. diplomats’ visit as “useful”, because “it was very important that they listened to our opinions.”

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