Lavrov: ‘No Problems in Russian-Abkhaz Ties’

There are “no problems” in relationship between Moscow and Sokhumi, but there are “issues” which needs to be resolved, Sergey Lavrov, the Russian foreign minister, said during his visit to breakaway Abkhazia on April 26, Abkhaz news agency Apsnipress reported.

“I do not see problems, I see issues, which, naturally, emerge and need to be resolved, when a new independent state appears on the map,” Lavrov said at a news conference in Sokhumi.

He said that those “issues” in bilateral relations were related to restoration of property rights of Russian citizens in Abkhazia and demarcation of the border.

“We have not yet resolved these issues even with all of our neighbors,” Lavrov said. “The fact, that we are already actively addressing these issues, indicates on intensity of our contacts, directed towards prompt establishment of the Abkhaz state as a neighbor, friend and ally. This is absolutely natural process. What has already been done in past two and a half years in this regard is impressing. We will continue moving with this pace.”

He thanked Sokhumi for “showing political will” to resolve the issues related with property disputes.

Abkhaz leader, Sergey Bagapsh, said after meeting with Lavrov that so far only six applications submitted by the Russian citizens requesting restoration of their property rights in Abkhazia were deemed as justified by a special commission and sent for further consideration to the court.

Lavrov said that Sokhumi and Moscow were closing cooperating in international affairs, “including in providing security to Abkhazia and South Ossetia in frames of Geneva discussions,” which he said, had turned into “a sustainable format.”
 
Foreign Minister of breakaway Abkhazia, Maxim Gvinjia, said on April 26, that talks were underway with Russia over signing of an agreement on dual citizenship.

Russian Foreign Minister, Sergey Lavrov, arrived in Sokhumi after visiting Georgia’s another breakaway region of South Ossetia on April 25.

Tbilisi condemned Lavrov’s visits to Tskhinvali and Sokhumi as yet another attempt by “the occupant state to give legitimacy to its illegal decision” to recognize the two region’s independence.

“It will be impossible to legitimize such illegal decision. These attempts will not be successful,” Nino Kalandadze, the Georgian deputy foreign minister, said on April 26, adding that those attempts showed Moscow’s “very cynical attitude towards internationally recognized principles and values.”

During his visit to Tskhinvali, Lavrov said that “military provocations” were not ruled out from Georgia, “because anything can be expected from the current regime in Tbilisi.”

“So we will spare no efforts to reliably protect the South Ossetian border and to be ready if someone will again wish to commit the crime of August, 2008," the Russian Foreign Minister said.

The Georgian Deputy Foreign Minister dismissed remarks as “very cynical” and said that Georgia had made unilateral non-use of force pledge.

“Despite active calls and demands from the international community Russia is refusing to reciprocate with a similar pledge,” the Georgian Deputy Foreign Minister said.

This post is also available in: ქართული (Georgian) Русский (Russian)