Tbilisi Sets Two Preconditions for Peace Process in Abkhazia

Russia should rescind its April 16 decision and withdraw extra peacekeeping troops from Abkhazia to make “the peace process” possible, Temur Iakobashvili, the Georgian state minister for reintegration, said on June 25.

“The conditions set by the Georgian side should be met – these are the withdrawal of illegal Russian troops from the territory of Georgia [in Abkhazia] and the rescinding of the April 16 decision,” he said. “Unless these [preconditions] are met, any peace plan is doomed to failure, because what we are now dealing with is annexation and occupation of the country and we are being told that against this background we should carry out a peace process. It is impossible.”