German FM: Direct Georgian-Abkhaz Talks Needed

President Saakashvili welcomed Germany’s “timely engagement” in efforts to revitalize the Abkhaz peace process, but also said that the Berlin-proposed plan was not the final one and consideration of other ideas was also underway.

“We have long been calling for the internationalization of this process; Germany has taken the initiative and we appreciate it,” Saakashvili said at a joint news conference with German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier in Batumi on Thursday evening, July 17. “German’s response was extremely fast and timely and we hope it will also be successful.”

He said that the so-called three-stage plan for Abkhazia proposed by Germany was not the final one and some issues needed to be clarified. Saakashvili also pointed out that there were other proposals, including one by the United States, that could be compatible with the Germany plan. He said the process of elaboration was ongoing.

The German foreign minister, who underlined Berlin’s strong support for Georgia’s territorial integrity, said at the press conference that the Abkhaz peace process was in deadlock and his mission aimed at breaking it. Steinmeier, however, added that he did not want to raise undue hope.

“We need direct contacts, direct dialogue, systematic direct dialogue between the parties,” he said. “Tomorrow I will try to convince my interlocutors in Sokhumi for the need for direct dialogue.”

Earlier on July 17 the German foreign minister met his Georgian counterpart, Eka Tkeshelashvili. The latter said at a news conference after the meeting that although the German plan was “interesting” it still needed to be “refined.”

Davit Bakradze, the Georgian parliamentary chairman, who also met the German, said that “some correction” was needed. In particular, he said “Georgia’s territorial integrity should be guaranteed – something which has never been questioned by Germany – and we need tangible results and tangible result for us is the return of internally displaced persons.”

“It [the German proposals] is an attempt to design a framework within which it will be possible to resolve the conflict,” Bakradze said. “Of course, this framework should be flexible and open for additional considerations by the Georgian side and we had a very good and open discussion on that [with the German foreign minister].”

“But we should mainly focus on achieving certain progress in the return of IDPs at the very first stage of implementation [of the plan]. This is a cornerstone for us,” Bakradze continued. “Otherwise, we cannot accept any plans, which speak about the return of refugees in the future tense.”

Also on July 17, the German foreign minister met with opposition leaders and some civil society representatives. Nino Burjanadze, the former parliamentary speaker, also attended the meeting.

Davit Usupashvili, the leader of the Republican Party, said after the meeting that the German plan was “interesting” and “realistic.” Davit Gamkrelidze, the leader of the New Rights Party, said afterwards that he had the impression that the EU, including Germany, was unwilling to go along with the Georgian proposal for the immediate withdraqal of Russian peacekeeping troops from Abkhazia.