‘Zero Tolerance to Abkhazia Militarization’ – Saakashvili

“We are declaring policy of zero tolerance towards militarization of Abkhazia,” President Saakashvili said on March 7.

He was speaking at a session of the National Security Council, which was convened in connection with Russia’s decision to pull out from the 1996 CIS treaty imposing sanctions on Abkhazia. Along with economic sanctions the treaty also bans arms trade with Abkhazia.

Below is President Saakashvili full statement about Russia’s decision to pull out from the 1996 CIS treaty:

“Russian officials at all levels have been warning us that they planned to respond to the United States and western [policy] towards Kosovo by [undertaking actions] in respect of Georgia, in respect of Abkhazia.

Hence, it is not simply an action undertaken against Georgia, but it is [Russia’s] demarche against the west in general and the North Atlantic alliance and the United States; this is what we have been directly told when we visited Moscow [in February]. In the light of our recent hopes and readiness to improve bilateral relations, such a development now is very regretful.

We should say the following: firstly, lifting sanctions off Abkhazia and before that distributing Russian passports to the residents of Abkhazia – to those population who remain in Abkhazia and they constitute less than 20% of Abkhazia’s overall [pre-armed conflict] population, because over 80% of Abkhazia’s population has been expelled from there as a result of the 20th century’s one of the most brutal and forgotten ethnic cleansing – is immoral and illegal action undertaken against the international law and humanity.

I want to tell each and every legal entity, or person in Russia, who think or are already investing in Abkhazia, or are engaged in any type of economic transaction in Abkhazia: these are assets, which belong to ethnic Georgians, ethnic Russians, ethnic Jews, ethnic Greeks, ethnic Ukrainians, ethnic Estonians; and I want to tell these people [refugees and internally displaced persons from Abkhazia] that I give them a word that they will be able to get these assets back. And I promise those in Russia who are willing to illegally purchase those assets, that these assets will be confiscated. This is a categorical warning of the Georgian President, who has a legal right to take this action.

The second and major issue: this action [pulling out from the 1996 CIS treaty] is extremely dangerous provocation aimed at destabilizing the region and entire Caucasus and at triggering totally uncontrolled developments. Georgia will spare nor efforts to prevent this type of scenario.

These sanctions, first and foremost, envisaged sanctions on importing military hardware, as well as sanctions on deployment of Russian, or foreign military instructors and military forces [in Abkhazia]. As a result [lifting these sanctions] Russia has actually took a course towards creating threat of militarization of this region.

Today I want to strictly state the position of the Georgian authorities: we are declaring policy of zero tolerance towards deployment of armed forces, military hardware, military instructors and mercenaries in Abkhazia. We are declaring policy of zero tolerance towards militarization of Abkhazia.

Russia and its authorities will be fully responsible for all the consequences of the launch and deepening of Abkhazia’s militarization. I want to reiterate that destabilization is not in the interests of Georgia and we are ready to openly work with the international community to prevent complications. But I think that turning Georgia’s one of the parts into hostage of the geopolitical games is uncalculated and dangerous step, first and foremost, for the initiators of this step. I think this is very wrong step, very immoral step and very provocative action.

I want to call for consolidation, calmness; I want to call for being organized and watchful.

The Georgian-Russian border lies on the Psou river [dividing Russia from Abkhazia] and we have never allowed anyone to cross that border illegally and to undertake any unilateral actions without the consent of the Georgian government. All those actions are against the Georgian legislature and the norms of international law.

I think we should continue working with our partners, with our friends, international community. We should continue our course towards integration to the North Atlantic alliance, towards preparing for NATO summit in Bucharest [this April]. It is not just a coincidence that these actions [by Russia] are undertaken just now ahead of the Bucharest summit. Georgia should not be derailed from its strategic course.”

This post is also available in: ქართული (Georgian) Русский (Russian)