Abkhaz FM Outlines Position on German Plan

Sergey Shamba, the foreign minister of breakaway Abkhazia, laid out the terms under which Sokhumi would deem the German-proposed three-stage plan as a basis for the resumption of talks.

German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier, who held talks with the Georgian leadership on July 17, will visit Sokhumi on July 18 and meet with Abkhaz leader Sergey Bagapsh and other Abkhaz officials.

Speaking on Abkhaz TV station Abaza, Shamba said that the German plan was not finalized and was only at the discussion stage between the parties involved, the Abkhaz news agency, Apsnipress, reported on July 17.

“Security issues are at the heart of the first stage of the plan,” Shamba said.

“The first stage of the plan can be supported by Sokhumi if the withdrawal of Georgian troops from upper Kodori Gorge and the signing of a treaty on the non-use of force is discussed in the frames of this document,” he said.

Shamba said that the second stage of the plan envisaged economic projects and the return of displaced persons.

“As far as economic cooperation is concerned, Abkhazia is ready to establish direct economic contacts with the EU, but we are against joint projects with Georgia,” he said. “And as far as the return of refugees is concerned, this issue can only be discussed in the frames of previously reached agreements and only in the Gali district.”

He said that the third stage would deal with the political status of Abkhazia.

“We have stated numerous times that the status our republic can not be an issue for negotiations and we are not going to discuss it with anyone,” Shamba said.

The foreign minister of the breakaway region reiterated a longstanding Abkhaz position, saying that even if agreement were reached between the sides, “Abkhazia will only resume talks with Georgia after Tbilisi withdraws its troops from upper Kodori Gorge.”

He said the plan made no mention of Georgia’s territorial integrity, which, he said, was “a positive element.”

Davit Bakradze, the Georgian parliamentary chairman, who met with the German foreign minister in Tbilisi on July 17, said that “some corrections” were needed in the plan.

“Georgia’s territorial integrity should be guaranteed – something that has never been questioned by Germany – and we need tangible results and tangible result for us is the return of internally displaced persons,” he said.

Eka Tkeshelashvili, the Georgian foreign minister, who also met her German counterpart on July 17, said that the three-stage plan was “interesting,” but still needed to be “refined.”

Steinmeier will leave for Sokhumi from Batumi early on July 18. After talks there he will return to Batumi and again meet with Georgian leaders and then leave for Moscow for talks with his Russian counterpart, Sergey Lavrov.