Georgia’s UN Ambassador Speaks of Abkhazia

Address of Revaz Adamia, Georgia’s UN Ambassador, to the President of UN Security Council

New York, 26 January 2005

Excellency,

I have the honour to write to you and, through you, to draw attention of the Security Council to the recent developments in the conflict resolution process in Abkhazia, Georgia.

At the outset, I would like to express sincere appreciation to the Secretary-General Mr. Kofi Annan for his report on the situation in Abkhazia, Georgia and commend tireless efforts of his Special Representative Mrs. Heidi Tagliavini for seeking long-lasting, viable and peaceful resolution of the conflict in Abkhazia, Georgia.

Clearly, today the picture we observe in the conflict-resolution process has several new elements. First, and the most recent, is the self-styled presidential elections in Abkhazia, Georgia. It is absolutely obvious that these so-called “elections” must be considered as illegal and illegitimate. To set aside even the most fundamental international norms, how can anyone consider election process as fair, or democratic, when vast majority of the population is forced out of this region of Georgia. Here I would like to note that according to the data provided by various international organizations, approximately one hundred thousand inhabitants currently live in Abkhazia, Georgia, while before the conflict the population of the region was more than five hundred thousand.

Furthermore, there is one additional aspect characterizing the situation, which is receiving less international publicity, nevertheless, I believe, constitutes major legal aberration. According to Abkhaz and Russian sources, nearly 80 per cent of the population currently living on the territory controlled by the secessionist regime has Russian citizenship. These are the people who participated in “elections”, unlike others, especially those residing in Gali region, who have been forced from “voting” stations by all available means, including physical aggression, threats, abductions, etc. (the intensity of such violence reached levels that caused outrage of even such an outspoken person as Mr. Baburin, Deputy Speaker of the Russian Parliament). So, what does this mean? Citizens of Russia “elected” a “leader” of one of the regions in Georgia!

Isn’t that an absurd?

It was extremely interesting to follow developments after the first “elections”. Obviously, protégé of Russia and President Putin himself – at least that was claimed on the “campaign” posters – could not live up to the expectations of his patrons and has lost the round. This triggered chain of events that is rather interesting. Candidates were systematically summoned to high Kremlin cabinets. When persuasion failed, Moscow has shown to the world, including the population of Abkhazia, who really holds the reins in the region. On the eve of the so-called inauguration, Russia just closed the check-point on Psou River, or, actually, did what it has been supposed to do since 1996 in accordance to numerous CIS decisions. This was followed by “magnificent” move with so-called Constitutional Agreement, signed, by the way, by Deputy Prosecutor-General of the Russian Federation!

Isn’t that an absurd?

As soon as Moscow reached whatever it was aiming for (by the way, not bringing much stability to the region), the check-point was re-opened and railway connection resumed. Officially, highest Russian authorities, including President Putin, are explaining these moves as the only way to avoid “civil confrontation” and bloodshed. Of course, we were and are strongly in favor of peaceful solutions, but was it not possible to do the same moves in coordination with Tbilisi? Or, is it now considered a bad taste to inform the capital of friendly neighboring country about sending envoys to one of the latter’s regions, ignoring even the basic visa regime? What shall we call observer missions sent to the “elections”, which, obviously, could not be accepted as legitimate? Even more so, in the situation where democracy is totally alien to the process.

Here, Excellency, I have to reiterate that despite all of the above-mentioned, central authorities of Georgia are ready to resume negotiations with Abkhaz side – with anybody who replaces Mr. Ardzinba. President Saakashvili stated several times that we watched self-styled elections carefully and are ready to speak with any new leader any time. Unfortunately, we do not see readiness to do so from Abkhaz side. Not much willingness to negotiate can be heard in the statements of these new leaders there.  Undermining conflict-resolution process further, Abkhaz side vehemently rejects demands of the Security Council. Namely, they still do not agree on accepting the so-called Boden Document on “Basic Principles for the Distribution of Competences between Tbilisi and Sokhumi”, refuse to allow opening of Human Rights office in Gali, are reluctant to address the issue of teaching Georgian children in their native language and oppose to full deployment of the civilian police component of UNOMIG, which, as outlined in the report of the Secretary-General, operates only on Georgian side where it has “good cooperation with local law enforcement agencies”.

It is rather sad, Excellency, but still a reality, that we witness Security Council Resolutions becoming just a blank papers. It seems that only Georgian side takes them seriously, while Abkhazs totally reject them (why not – there is no consequent response to their stubbornness).

It has to be mentioned that international format of negotiations was also lax in the wake of self-styled elections. The Geneva Process, which brought a hope that progress in conflict-resolution could take place, is under risk of becoming just a discussion club. Some symptoms of such dangerous development are already visible – previously discussed task-groups have simply been lost, and the necessity to transfer Boden Paper to Abkhaz side was not even mentioned at the last meeting. We believe that Geneva process shall be dynamic and result-oriented. It is inadmissible to emasculate the forum.

I still have to remind that there is a category of people who we all have to keep in our minds. These are refugees and IDPs – victims of ethnic cleansing – who already for longer than a decade are waiting for their basic right – right to live at home – to materialize. They still live in a miserable conditions, are totally insecure and vulnerable. Events, that took place in Gali region this month, have demonstrated, once again, lawlessness that they face. I think that members of the Security Council are aware of abductions that happened on “election” day. Actually, these excesses were committed in front of CIS peacekeepers, who did nothing to protect peaceful civilian people – by the way, not for the first time. In fact, after the ceasefire in 1994, over 2000 Georgians have been killed in Gali security zone, which falls under the responsibility of CIS PKF. I have to state once more that CIS PKF is rather far from being impartial and is often backing Abkhaz separatist paramilitary structures. I think it is the high time to start thinking of a new format of peacekeeping operation, as activities of Russian military contingent – which CIS PKF, in fact, is – could hardly be considered as a “peacekeeping operation”.

I have to draw your attention to one additional alarming development. Russian military schools openly set – as publicized by Abkhaz and Russian media – special quotas and prepare military personnel for secessionist regime. I would like to remind that Security Council Resolution 876 (1993) clearly opposes such actions. Obviously, not everybody in Russia honors the decisions of the UN Security Council.

Russian military base in Gudauta (in Abkhazia, Georgia), that is foreign military base on the conflict territory, had to be disbanded and closed in 2001. Despite international obligations, this base, though downsized, still operates. We, on several occasions, have proposed to hand over the base to UNOMIG, thus, obviously, helping Mission in its hard everyday operations. Unfortunately, decision on this issue is constantly delayed.

Finally, Excellency, I would like to ring an alarm – the longer this protracted “frozen” conflict remains unresolved, the more difficult will it be to find compromise for long-lasting peace. Therefore, we wholeheartedly invite the Security Council to foster its involvement in the conflict-resolution process in Abkhazia, Georgia. One of the steps that the Security Council could make at this stage would be a field visit to Georgia – particularly to Sokhumi – to learn firsthand the reality on the ground and try to come out of stalemate in the conflict-resolution process.

I should be grateful if you would have the text of the present letter circulated as a document of the Security Council.

Sincerely,

Revaz Adamia
Ambassador, Permanent Representative