Russia’s Duma Passes Statements on Abkhazia, S.Ossetia

The international community should take into consideration the independence aspirations of the South Ossetian and Abkhaz people, two separate statements passed on December 6 by the State Duma (Russia’s lower house of Parliament), say, according to the Interfax and RIA Novosti news agencies.

The statement on Abkhazia says that Russia should build its ties with Abkhazia based on a request by the breakaway region’s parliament calling for recognition of Abkhazia’s independence and the establishment of “associated relations” with Russia.

The statement accuses the Georgian authorities of stirring tensions and says that Tbilisi’s aggressive policy towards Abkhazia threatens the “lives of many thousands of citizens of the Russian Federation living on the territory of Abkhazia.”

Another statement that concerns South Ossetia says that the November 12 independence referendum in the region has manifested the “evident aspiration” of its population towards independence and it “should be fully taken into consideration by the international community in order to ensure human rights, peace and stability.”

“The State Duma believes that the Russian Federation should build its policy based on the expression of free will by the people of South Ossetia, which was expressed during the recent referendum held in full compliance to the international legal norms and procedures, as well as based on the laws of the Russian Federation,” the statement reads.

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