Russian Envoy: Moscow has to Protect its Citizens in Abkhazia

The Georgian Foreign Ministry summoned Vyacheslav Kovalenko, Russia’s ambassador to Georgia, and handed over a note of protest over Moscow’s, as Tbilisi puts it, attempts to establish direct “official relations” with breakaway Abkhazia.

The Georgian Justice Ministry received a letter from the Russian Justice Ministry informing Tbilisi about its intention to, as the letter reads, “closely cooperate, hold talks and make legal-related decision with the Abkhaz authorities” over extradition of 35 Russian citizens currently jailed in Abkhazia.

“The letter of the Russian Ministry of Justice can be considered as nothing but part of the Russian Federation’s destructive policy, which aims at achieving legitimization of the separatist regimes on the territory of Georgia, as well as full-fledged economic, legal and political integration of the conflict regions into Russia,” the Georgian Foreign Ministry said in a statement issued on April 8.
 
Russian Ambassador Vyacheslav Kovalenko said after the meeting at the Georgian Foreign Ministry on April 8 that Russia’s move is directed towards establishing legal-related links, which are necessary to protect Russian citizens living in Abkhazia. 

“I want to say that a large number of Russian citizens live on the territory of Abkhazia and such legal-related actions are simply necessary to protect the interests of Russian citizens living on that territory,” Kovalenko told reporters. “As far as I understand, the actions of the Justice Ministry are directed just towards establishing legal-related links in respect of protection of rights of those Russian citizens, who live in Abkhazia.”