Tbilisi Condemns Gryzlov’s Abkhazia, South Ossetia Remarks

Nino Burjanadze, the acting president, has refused to congratulate the Russian ruling party on its landslide victory in the December 2 elections. She said she had intended to, but following remarks by a senior United Russia party official, Boris Gryzlov, on Abkhazia and South Ossetia, she had changed her mind.

Gryzlov, a former chairman of Russia’s lower house of Parliament, the State Duma, said the newly elected Russian legislative body would probably consider recognition of Abkhaz and South Ossetian independence in January.

“Following Gryzlov’s statement, I have lost any desire to send him a letter of congratulations,” Burjanadze said in a televised address on December 3. “That the Russian authorities would again speak about the possible recognition of Abkhaz and South Ossetian independence at such a difficult time, naturally raises our concern. I hope that the international community will respond appropriately.”

“Despite this, the Georgian authorities want normal, relations with Russia, based on mutual respect and equality,” Burjanadze added. “I still hope that the Russian authorities officially respond to Gryzlov’s remarks. For our part, we are willing to have normal cooperation, but under such conditions it is very difficult to establish normal relations.”

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