BELARUS PARLIAMENT SHELVES RECOGNITION OF SOUTH OSSETIA, ABKHAZIA
AZG DAILY
19-12-2009
International
The Belarusian parliament will not hold hearings on recognizing the
former Georgian republics of Abkhazia and South Ossetia before spring
2010, a senior lawmaker said on Friday, according to RIA Novosti.
According to the source, the two regions formally requested ex-Soviet
Belarus to recognize them a year ago, but Minsk has delayed its
decision, torn between traditional ally Russia and the EU, which
backs Georgia’s claim to sovereignty over the republics.
"Today is the last day of the fall session, and the issue of Abkhazia
and South Ossetia has not been included in the agenda," said Sergei
Maskevich, head of the lower house foreign relations and CIS affairs
committee.
Russia recognized the republics in August 2008 after repelling
Georgia’s assault on South Ossetia in a five-day war. Only Nicaragua,
Venezuela and Nauru have followed suit.
Belarus sent members of parliament to the regions and to Georgia in
November to study the situation on the ground.
Maskevich said members of the working group considering the issue
are not unanimous.
Abkhazia and South Ossetia broke away from Georgia in armed conflicts
in the early 1990s after the collapse of the Soviet Union.
Georgia severed ties with Russia after it recognized the regions’
independence, calling them occupied territories. Tensions in the area
remain high although skirmishes and other incident have declined in
number in recent months.