EU Statement on Putin’s Abkhaz Visit

EU’s Swedish presidency said in a statement on behalf of the bloc’s member states on August 13, that it did not consider Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin’s visit to breakaway Abkhazia “helpful for the international efforts to stabilise the region.”

“The European Union notes with concern that the Prime Minister of the Russian Federation, Vladimir Putin, has paid a visit to the Georgian region of Abkhazia, without prior consent of the Georgian authorities,” the statement reads.

“The EU does not consider this visit compatible with the principle of territorial integrity nor helpful for the international efforts to stabilise the region. The EU reiterates its support for Georgia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.”

Putin visited the breakaway region on August 12, month after President Medvedev paid a visit to Georgia’s another breakaway region of South Ossetia.

A statement, similar to this recent one, was made by the EU’s Swedish president month ago in connection with Medvedev’s visit to breakaway South Ossetia.

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