RIA Novosti, Russia
March 15 2005

ABKHAZ LEADER TO TACKLE ECONOMIC PROBLEMS IN MOSCOW

MOSCOW, March 15 (RIA Novosti) – President Sergei Bagapsh of the
self-proclaimed republic of Abkhazia, currently in Moscow, intends to
solve economic problems here. We must coordinate some economic issues
in Moscow, Mr. Bagapsh told a press conference on Tuesday. Still
there is no need to examine political issues, Mr. Bagapsh added. At
issue will be energy and railroad traffic issues, he noted.

Talking about the return of Georgian refugees to the republic’s
Galsky district on the Abkhaz-Georgian administrative border, Mr.
Bagapsh said that refugees were returning all the time. Tbilisi links
this problem with the resumption of railroad traffic.

Mr. Bagapsh said that the political situation in Abkhazia remained
stable. There are no differences between leaders, he noted. We firmly
abide by those specific accords that were reached during the second
round of presidential elections, Mr. Bagapsh went on to say. At that
time, former rivals Sergei Bagapsh and Raul Khadzhimba decided to
team up.

they continue to investigate an attempt on the life of Abkhazia’s
prime minister Alexander Ankvab. However, no suspects have so far
been arrested in this case, Mr. Bagapsh noted. On February 28, Mr.
Ankvab’s Volga car was fired upon from automatic weapons, while
leaving Sukhumi.

According to Mr. Bagapsh, investigators are examining two possible
motives, namely, political and criminal. Several criminals were
arrested some time ago and subsequently released, Mr. Bagapsh said.

Abkhazia will not permit the presence of any other peacekeepers
except the Russian contingent, Mr. Bagapsh said.

The peacekeeping contingent can be withdrawn from the conflict zone,
if any side wishes so, he explained. For instance, Georgia is now
raising this issue. However, a decision on deploying any other
peacekeeping force can only be made with Abkhazia’s consent, Mr.
Bagapsh noted.

At the same time, the self-proclaimed republic’s leader sees nothing
unusual in Abkhazia’s reservist-training programs.

We train reservists all the time, Mr. Bagapsh said. Apart from
maintaining a regular army, we focus on war veterans, he stressed.

Unfortunately, we have not concluded a peace treaty with Georgia,
Sergei Bagapsh said. We are prepared for any scenarios, hoping that
they will be peaceful, he added.

Georgia’s State Minister for Separatist Conflicts Georgy Khaindrava
and acting Abkhaz foreign minister Sergei Shamba are to meet in April
in Geneva, Mr. Bagapsh reported.

The sides must solve all economic problems, before tackling political
issues, he noted. Among other things, they must resume railroad
transits between Sochi, Russia, and Yerevan, Armenia, via Abkhazia.
Economic issues must be settled, in the first place. After that, it
will become possible to tackle political issues, the Abkhaz leader
went on to say.

The leaders of the four self-proclaimed republics, i.e. Abkhazia,
Nagorny Karabakh, the Transdniestrian republic and South Ossetia,
will decide on the deadlines of their talks within the next few days.

We must coordinate our positions during this projected meeting,
Sergei Bagapsh noted. We will decide on specific deadlines and the
meeting’s location either tomorrow or the day after tomorrow, he
added. The meeting will either take place in Moscow or in the south,
Mr. Bagapsh said.

Among other things, the need for this meeting is motivated by the
rather tense situation around the Dniester-Moldavian republic and
South Ossetia, Mr. Bagapsh said.

The president of the self-proclaimed republic plans to meet Patriarch
Alexis II of Moscow and All Russia. I will meet the Patriarch today
at 4.00 p.m., Mr. Bagapsh noted. We will discuss issues of
spirituality, as well as the restoration of the Novoafonsky and
Iversky monasteries, he added.

In his opinion, spirituality and republican revival are something
inter-linked. One cannot revive the republic without spirituality,
Mr. Bagapsh stressed.