Russia Slams Georgia for Kodori Policy

The Russian Foreign Ministry said on September 7 that the Abkhaz conflict resolution process is ?deadlocked? as a result of Georgia?s decision to send its troops to upper Kodori Gorge.

Georgia carried out what Tbilisi calls ?a police operation? in upper Kodori Gorge in late July to crack down on local rebel militias there.

?These actions [of the Georgian side] have blocked the activities of the recently resumed [Georgian-Abkhaz] Coordinating Council, which is a tool for direct talks between the Georgian and Abkhaz sides.? the Russian Foreign Ministry said.

Moscow also condemned the Georgian side?s intention to relocate the headquarters of the ?so called Abkhaz government-in-exile,? which is currently based in Tbilisi, to upper Kodori Gorge.

?Attempts to create some kind of structures in Kodori Gorge as an alternative to the Abkhaz authorities, who have been elected by its [Abkhazia?s] people, are counterproductive and may only further worsen Georgian-Abkhaz relations, as well as the entire [conflict] settlement process,? the Russian Foreign Ministry stated.

The Russian side also criticized Tbilisi for an attempt to convene ?an international conference? to raise funds for Kodori’s rehabilitation ? an initiative which was voiced by officials from the Tbilisi-based Abkhaz government-in-exile.

Moscow has called on Tbilisi to withdraw its troops from upper Kodori Gorge and to launch monitoring of the area with the participation of the UN observers and Russian peacekeepers stationed in the Abkhaz conflict zone.

Tbilisi has agreed to the monitoring of the upper Kodori Gorge by UN observers only.

The Russian Foreign Ministry said that it will push the issue of monitoring at the UN Security Council session, which is expected to discuss the situation in Abkhazia by mid-October.

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