Abkhazia Appeals for World Recognition
By RUSLAN KHASHIG – March 07, ’08
SUKHUMI, Georgia (AP) – The Russian-backed region of Abkhazia appealed to the
world community Friday to recognize it as independent from Georgia, citing
Kosovo as a precedent.
In a unanimous resolution, Abkhazia’s legislature called on the world
community and the Russian Parliament to recognize it as an independent nation.
"The republic of Abkhazia has for 15 years successfully existed as an
independent nation," the resolution said, citing Kosovo’s independence as
justification for the timing.
The appeal follows a nearly identical resolution earlier this week by another
breakaway Georgian region, South Ossetia.
Both South Ossetia and Abkhazia have had de-facto independence since wars
with Georgian forces in the 1990s. No country recognizes their governments,
though Russia has tacitly supported their autonomy from Georgia, which has
infuriated Moscow by increasingly aligned itself with the West.
Temur Yakobashvili, Georgia’s state minister for reintegration matters, said
the Abkhazia resolution should not be taken seriously because many ethnic
Georgians fled Abkhazia during the fighting and have long sought to return.
"This parliament is not legitimate; it was not elected by the population of
Abkhazia," he said. "It cannot reflect the will of the entire population."
Russia further raised tensions with Georgia on Thursday by fully restoring
economic ties with Abkhazia. Russian officials said the decision had nothing to
do with Kosovo, although Moscow was infuriated by Western recognition of
Kosovo’s independence and warned that it could fuel other separatist movements,
particularly in the former Soviet Union.
Nations that recognize Kosovo’s independence from Serbia say that situation
was unique.
Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili condemned Moscow’s full restoration of
trade with Abkhazia as a "grave provocation."
"Russia and its government will bear full responsibility for militarization
of Abkhazia," Saakashvili said in a televised statement Friday.
Georgia also summoned Russia’s ambassador in protest.
In comments likely to further exacerbate the tensions between Russia and
Georgia, Russia’s regional development minister, Dmitry Kozak, said Russian
businesses and investors building for the 2014 Winter Games in Sochi can look
to Abkhazia for workers and materials.
Abkhazia sits just a few miles from Sochi.
Associated Press writers Misha Dzhindzhikhashvili in Tbilisi, Georgia, and
Mansur Mirovalev in Moscow contributed to this report.