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UNPO General
Secretary Condemns Assassination Attempt on President Ankuab |
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The Hague, 23 February 2012 – UNPO
deplores in the strongest possible terms the assassination attempt on
the democratically elected President of Abkhazia, Aleksandr Ankuab made
yesterday morning and sends its condolences to the families of those
killed or injured in what was a senseless attack.
In what is the fifth attempt against his
life since 2005 and a move with clear motives to destabilise a young but
maturing democracy, it both reflects the great difficulties facing
Abkhazia in light of limited international recognition but also the
resilience of the achievements Abkhazia has made since 1991.
The people of Abkhazia elected President
Ankuab as the leader of their nation in fair and democratic elections in
2011 and yesterday’s attack represents a serious affront to this
democratic process and to the parliamentary elections to be held next
month.
This attack must not be allowed to
overshadow or unduly affect the forthcoming elections and we sincerely
wish President Ankuab a full and speedy recovery.
Marino
Busdachin
UNPO
General Secretary
To
download the General Secretary's statement, see
here
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An attack on
sovereignty, by Inal Khashig |
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Trying to kill Aleksander Ankuab has
almost become a bad habit. He was shot at when he was prime minister.
They tried to kill him when he was vice-president. And as we now see,
they don't intend to leave him in peace now he is president. Although
people were injured in the five earlier attempts, no one was killed. And
in light of the fact that the previous attacks were never solved, his
detractors (and Ankuab has more than enough of them) were able to
speculate that the crimes were faked, even that Ankuab himself may have
staged those attacks. I don't rule out the possibility that this time,
when people have been killed, people will again try to promulgate this
hypothesis. Let God be their judge. What interests me is the motives for
the murder attempt.
However paradoxical it may sound, it is
President Aleksandr Ankuab who has recently emerged as the biggest
critic of the present authorities. In the past week alone, he has
targeted the Interior Ministry with all its ancillaries, purged the
Prosecutor General's office, dismissing two of the prosecutor-general's
deputies, suspended the work of the Migration Service, and dismantled
the Gagra district economic staff. He has spoken openly, without any
circumlocutions or beating about the bush, about corruption, the illegal
sale of passports, citizenship and land, about money embezzled and inept
officials who terrorize both business and the man in the street. And
that criticism is not unfounded – he cites facts and figures, many of
which until now were completely unknown, or known only to a very narrow
circle of those in power.
Some have suggested that such a
large-scale purge of the state apparatus, which naturally extends to the
head of state, was a kind of well thought-out public relations campaign
in the run-up to the parliamentary elections. I think this version is
too simple, even primitive. The country's parliament is constructed in
such a way that whoever is elected to it, whatever its composition, it
is inevitably doomed to become subservient to the will of the president.
You must agree that casting pearls before the electorate for the sake of
elections whose outcome is a foregone conclusion is not very clever!
Ankuab is perfectly aware of this. In addition, promulgating empty
threats to generate questionable publicity is not his style.
For the past seven years, when he was not
yet head of state, Ankuab kept quiet and was not that active, to put it
mildly, when it came to maintaining law and order. Now he is constantly
criticized for that failure. Why, people ask, did he not try to do
anything before, even though he had the necessary leverage and authority
to do so? Yes, he was prime minister, vice-president - senior positions,
you can't deny it! But ever since Abkhazia acquired statehood, it is the
president who has usurped the right to "try to solve" issues. All other
institutions of power are doomed to play only the role of important
elements of the state machine that appear to be essential in accordance
with tables of democratic ranking, but in fact are absolutely useless
and ineffective.
Any prominent political figure, no matter how dazzling his charisma,
will be forcibly expelled from the system in the blink of an eye if he
dares to act contrary to the established order of things. However gross
it may sound, under President Bagapsh the "iron" Ankuab, acutely aware
how dubious his status was, voluntarily restricted his activity to the
level of zits-chairman Pound. But unlike Ilf and Petrov's character,
Ankuab doggedly waited in the wings, convinced that his time will come.
And he has finally taken the helm.
Despite the external appearance of calm, Aleksandr Ankuab attained the
presidency in an extremely difficult situation. The level of corruption
in the country has reached such proportions that sovereignty itself is
at stake. Over the past 10 or so years, public morality has become
completely devalued, the level of civic consciousness of the population
of Abkhazia is comparable to that of the Delaware Indian tribe who four
hundred years ago exchanged their homeland - the island of Manhattan –
for beads and a couple of cases of whisky.
Aleksandr Ankuab is now faced with Hamlet's rhetorical question '"to be
or not to be?" in all its relentless starkness. He clearly did not want
to be a president under whom state sovereignty became a meaningless fig
leaf, otherwise they would not have opened fire on him.
This
article was published by
Ekho Kavkaza and is translated from Russian.
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Uknown Assailant
shoots at Abkhazian President Ankuab |
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Gudauta, An unknown person fired at
the car of Abkhazian President Alexander Ankuab on Wednesday morning,
the Head of the republic was not injured, said a source in the
enforcement agency of the republic.
"The car of the President was shot at near
the town of Gudauta. Ankuab was going to Sukhum to work. He was not
injured but his bodyguard was seriously injured," the source said.
Ankuab, who was Abkhazia's interior
minister from 1992 to 1993, garnered nearly 55 percent of the vote in
the election on August 26, 2011, in the tiny mountainous region on the
Black Sea coast which declared independence from Georgia in 1999.
Tbilisi continues to regard it as a breakaway region.
This is the fifth assassination attempt on
Ankuab in the past five years. Two unsuccessful attacks were carried out
in 2005. In 2007 he received a slight concussion and a shrapnel injury
to the back when his car came under attack from a grenade launcher. In
2009, Alexander Ankuab was injured when his house came under grenade
launcher attack. Ankuab received shrapnel wounds to his arm and leg.
02.22.2012
RIA Novosti
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British ambassador
visits Abkhazia |
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Sukhum, Judith Goff, the British
Ambassador to Georgia, has visited Abkhazia,
Echo Kavkaza
reports.
She has met Abkhaz Foreign Minister
Vyacheslav Chirikba and President Alexander Ankuab in Sukhum. The
British official discussed the development of the English language in
Abkhazia and methods of education. Goff noted that an English expert
will hold seminars for Abkhaz English-language teachers.
Goff talked on various aspects of
European-Abkhaz ties and relations of Abkhazia and Georgia. The British
ambassador and Chirikba discussed the neutral passports offered by
Georgia.
02.21.2012
Vestnik Kavkaza
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A Refined
Europe with Umbrella, by Nadezhda Venedictova |
The other day a public meeting with a new EU Special Representative
for South Caucasus Philippe Lefort was held in the Center of Zurab
Achba. It was organized by the Sukhum Center for Humanitarian Programs
and Paris Institute for Security. It was attended by the Security
Council Secretary Stanislav Lakoba, Deputy of Foreign Minister Irakli
Khintba and Director of Strategic Studies Center at the President of
RA Oleg Damenia. Meetings with EU representatives have been already
organized for several years. As a rule we try to explain to Europeans
that the EU's desire to work with Abkhazia through Georgia is futile,
that it is necessary to build direct relationships, even if not
officially recognizing the independence of Abkhazia. Eventually, our
persistence seems to have worked out, and the previous EU Special
Representative Peter Semneby suggested a EU formula in Abkhazia -
involvement without recognition." However, this formula is still in
the air, as not only us move slowly from words to deeds.
It seemed important to me F. Lefort's assertion several times
expressed that the European Union, despite its geopolitical weight (the
number of its citizens is 720 million, its economy is three of Chinese
and 16 of Russian, etc.), does not aspire to become a global hegemon
and follows the principles of good neighborliness and while
participating in conflict resolution excludes the use of military
force. Of course, it was known before, but the new special
representative is laying a special stress on it. Perhaps for the first
time at these meetings a diplomat of such a rank said as well that in
visible perspective the EU will unite with Russia to strengthen its
power.
Perhaps this information imprinted in my soul, because I have been
startled recently by George Friedman's political bestseller "The Next
100 Years," written before Barack Obama came to power. Friedman, an
American political scientist and director of a private
intelligence-analytical organization STRATFOR, is adamantly convinced
that the twenty-first century will become the United States Age, that
wars will occur and the United States should use everything, including
armed force to maintain its leadership position. According to
Friedman, the current apparent weakening of the US is an illusion,
that America loses the war in other countries, not because of weakness,
but because it tends to strengthen not an order there, but a chaos
that prevents these countries to become strong and compete with the
United States. Friedman is convinced that the Chinese "bubble" will
burst soon, Russia will collapse after the 2020, and weak- willed and
having lost the taste for battles Europe will forfeit its value.
For the first time I met an apologia of power and superiority,
described on a such intellectual level. And this is terrifying. An
intelligent and educated analyst at the beginning of the third
millennium thinks mainly as a Neanderthal man - to hit a neighbor’s
head with a truncheon and grasp a fresh piece of meat! Of course, not
all of Americans are "hawks," Obama's victory in the last election
speaks more to the contrary, but to write such a book in Europe is not
considered comme il faut, but in the States, Friedman's book became a
bestseller of the most influential American newspaper " New-York
Times" - this says a lot!
Therefore, an old Europe, in spite of prolonged crisis of its union,
seems to be as a prominent and refined lady who does not step on
other’s feet and hit heads with umbrella in the rain to jump first
into a taxi.
02.18.2012
ALLS Independent Media
Monitoring Team
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Foreign Minister
Viacheslav Chirikba met with the first group of compatriots who arrived
from Syria |
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Sukhum, On February 17 the Minister
of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Abkhazia Viacheslav Chirikba met
with the first group of compatriots who arrived from Syria - Nishan
Vanacha and Shamil Marschan. The meeting was attended by the Head of
Department of Turkey and Middle East of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Inar Gitsba and the Deputy Chairman of the State Committee for
Repatriation Akhmad Marschan.
Nishan Vanacha is an architect and Shamil
Marchand graduated from Industrial College. At the moment they are
accommodated in the boarding-house "Abkhazia". According to N. Vanacha,
the purpose of his visit is to create conditions for the repatriation of
his family to their historical homeland.
He also said that his two nephews are
planning to move soon to Abkhazia.
Specific measures to assist families who
will soon be repatriated to Abkhazia were discussed during the meeting.
To date, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in cooperation with the State
Committee for Repatriation assists the repatriation of two families of
our compatriots in Syria composed of thirteen people, from which to date
were received applications for assistance in return to their historical
Homeland.
The arrival of the Syrian compatriots in
Abkhazia was the result of actions taken by the Government of the
Republic of Abkhazia, and the direct consequence of the Government's
mission of the Republic of Abkhazia composed of the Chairman of the
State Committee for Repatriation, the representatives of the Ministry of
Foreign Affairs of Abkhazia and the Federation of Abkhazian cultural
centers in Turkey.
Ministry of Foreign Affairs reiterates its
readiness together with the State Committee for Repatriation to
facilitate in every way the repatriation of our compatriots abroad, who
wish to return to their historical Homeland.
02.17.2010 Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Abkhazia
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The Seminar for
the Co-chairs of the Geneva discussions was held in Pitsunda |
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On February 15, 2012 the Seminar prepared
by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Abkhazia for the
Co-chairs of the Geneva discussions was held in Pitsunda. The Seminar
was devoted to historical and political analysis of the Georgian-Abkhaz
conflict. It was attended by the Co-chairs of the Geneva discussions,
their advisors, staff of the EU structures, representatives of the UN
specialized agencies, leadership of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and
the Security Council of the Republic of Abkhazia, well-known Abkhaz
political experts.
The main objective of the workshop was to
familiarize the representatives of the EU, UN and the OSCE, with the
history of the Georgian-Abkhaz conflict, Abkhazia's position on key
aspects of the Georgian-Abkhaz relations. Particular attention was paid
to the assessment of the role and approaches of the West in the
settlement of the Georgian-Abkhaz conflict.
The speakers were the following: the
Secretary of the Security Council of Abkhazia Stanislav Lakoba ("The
historical roots of the Georgian-Abkhaz conflict"), former Deputy
Defense Minister of Abkhazia Garry Kupalba ("The Georgian-Abkhazian war
of 1992-1993."), Ex-Minister of Foreign Affairs, Director of the
Abkhazian branch of the Foundation "Institute of Eurasian Studies"
Socrat Dzhindzholia ("The post-war negotiations - Geneva I"), the
Secretary of the Public Chamber Natella Akaba ("Approaches of the Abkhaz
side to the refugees’ problem"), Deputy Executive Director of the NGO
"Center for Humanitarian Programs" Liana Kvarchelia ("Evaluation of
modern international approaches to the resolution of the Georgian-Abkhaz
conflict").
The Minister of Foreign Affairs of the
Republic of Abkhazia, Viacheslav Chirikba addressed the participants
with closing remarks. He summed up the conceptual outcomes of the
seminar, stressing the high importance of accurate knowledge about the
context and nature of the Georgian-Abkhaz conflict for improvement of
the efficiency of the negotiation process.
Participants of the Seminar agreed on the
need to continue the practice of holding such seminars in future.
02.15.2010 Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Abkhazia
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US, UK hamper
Abkhazia's recognition |
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Sukhum,
The US and the UK are intentionally disrupting the recognition of
Abkhazia’s independence. If it was not for the pressure from their part
the sovereignty of Abkhazia had been officially supported by at least 20
countries of the Asian Pacific Region, Juris Gulbis, ambassador of
Abkhazia to the Asia-Pacific Region said.
The tactics of Washington and London is
simple. The countries which are beginning to establish ties with Sukhum
are simply told not to do so. Those who don’t obey will face tough
economic sanctions, the ambassador says.
"The powerful states such as the US, the
UK and also the EU are supporting Georgia and fully ignoring the
position of Abkhazia. Abkhazia has the right tot be recognized as an
independent state, while Tbilisi wants to make it part of Georgia again.
The western countries are trying to disrupt all our plans and
possibilities to win sovereignty."
It is now especially hard for the small
island states such as Nauru, Vanuatu and Tuvalu which have already
recognized the independence of Abkhazia. The West has simply stopped the
financing of vitally important projects in those countries. By acting
this way they not only punish the citizens of those states but make it
clear for the rest what they can expect if they recognize Abkhazia’s
independence.
However not every state surrenders to such
“blackmailing” methods. At least 12 countries of the Asian Pacific
region, which became independent in the last 30-50 years, welcome
Sukhum’s ambition for freedom. Although they are not quite ready to
establish diplomatic relations with Abkhazia they do not deny that the
support the new state, Gulbis says.
"They admit that Abkhazia exists that it
has its people and its government. They understand that we have the
conflict which soon I hope will be resolved. During the vote in the UN
they never vote against us, they either stay neutral or vote for us."
The fact that Western countries deny
Abkhazia’s sovereignty while actively lobbying Kosovo’s separation from
Serbia clearly shows what the core of the problem is. Washington, London
and the EU in pursuit of their own geopolitical interest use the
Georgian-Abkhazian conflicts for weakening Russia’s authorities on the
international arena, the foreign policy expert of the Centre for current
politics in Russia Evgenia Voiko says.
"Every time when one more country
recognizes the independence of South Ossetia and Abkhazia it confirms
that the Russian government took the right decision in 2008. No doubt
that the US the EU are trying to prevent the increase in number of
countries which now or in the near future could recognize the
independence of these Caucasian republics."
However Juris Gulbis is confident that
already this year the number of the countries which recognize the
independence of Abkhazia and South Ossetia will increase. He said that
active diplomatic efforts are now being made for it but refused to name
the countries with which the agreements are expected to be signed. There
are too many states which are ready to disrupt the talks so we prefer to
keep the information confidential, he said.
02.15.2010
The Voice of Russia
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Abkhazia would
like to develop relations with the countries of Asia-Pacific Region |
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Yuris Gulbis, ambassador at large of the
MFA of Abkhazia in the Asia-Pacific region (APR) is in Abkhazia now.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs Viacheslav
Chirikba, his deputy Irakly Khintba and Yuris Gulbis held a meeting with
journalists.
There was Adgur Chegiya, head of
department of Asia, Africa and countries of Asia-Pacific region and
Lusine Nersesyan at the meeting, who also works in this department. The
department has been established recently.
Yuris Gulbis told about his work in the
Asia-Pacific region. «We support ties with 12 countries besides those
that have recognized us. These are countries that got independence for
the last 30-50 years. They understand our aspiration for independence
and that is why they support us more open and dynamic», - he marked. At
the same time he expressed regret that such powers as the USA and Great
Britain undertook active actions for disruption of recognition of
independence of Abkhazia by the countries of Asia-Pacific region.
«As soon as it is known about our meetings
at official level with the authorities of any country, they immediately
begin to put pressure on these countries so that they do not recognize
Abkhazia, citing the fact that Abkhazia is a part of Georgia. If not
this fact Abkhazia would be recognized for the last year at least by 20
countries», - Gulbis said.
According to the ambassador at large of
the MFA of Abkhazia in the Asia-Pacific region there are perspectives,
and there will be recognition of Abkhazia by this region.
Yuris Gulbis emphasized that the countries
of Asia-Pacific region show not only political but also economic
interest to Abkhazia.
The countries that recognized Abkhazia
such as Nauru, Vanuatu and Tuvalu face with difficulties- Gulbis said.
EC and other donor agencies stop financing different projects and it may
be considered as blackmail method.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs Viacheslav
Chirikba called APR as a prosperous region, which may be of interest for
our businessmen. «It would be useful to develop contacts what is more
three countries of the APR have already recognized Abkhazia. We have a
lot of friends there thanks to Yuris Gulbis », - said the Minister.
«The perspectives are good; we simply
should work hard in the information sphere as it is little known about
Abkhazia. We are to inform the truth about Abkhazia through Internet and
other mass media. All our plans are realizable», - underlined Chirikba.
Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Irakly
Khintba told that special established department of Asia, Africa and
countries of Asia-Pacific region in the MFA of Abkhazia is in contact
with Yuris Gulbis analyzing the situation in the region.
«We pay great attention to the study of
political situation in this region to plan our own strategy and rely on
intensification of political and diplomatic communication with the APR
countries, which have recognized our independence», - said Khintba.
According to the head of department Adgur
Chegiya, the newly established department works actively on issues of
development of relationship with the countries of the region.
Viacheslav Chirikba emphasized about
sufficiently successful trip of the representatives of the MFA and State
Committee on Repatriation to Syria in January. According to him, some
families expressed a wish to return to their historical motherland
Abkhazia. «It is a very important result of the mission and we will
continue this successful experience», - said Chirikba.
02.13.2010 Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Abkhazia
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Foreign Minister
Viacheslav Chirikba Meets the EU Delegation |
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On February 8 the Foreign Minister of the
Republic of Abkhazia Viacheslav Chirikba received delegation of the
European Union led by the EU Ambassador Philip Dimitrov. Deputy Head of
Political Department of the EU Delegation to Georgia Renata Wrobel and
Project Manager Eva Troya also participated in the meeting. Deputy
Foreign Minister Irakli Khintba and Head of the International Department
Lana Agrba participated in the meeting from the Abkhaz side.
The main topics of the discussion were the
prospects for the implementation of the EU projects in Abkhazia as well
as broader aspects of relations between Abkhazia and the European Union.
The Minister emphasized the importance of
dialogue between the parties despite disagreement between the EU and
Abkhazia on several of issues. According to him Abkhazia is a European
democratic country, open to dialogue and cooperation.
Both Europe and Georgia should accept
political realities – the existence of an independent Abkhaz state – and
develop their relations with Abkhazia in accordance with these realities
The European strategy “Engagement without
Recognition” will not bring any significant results since it is
considered by the Abkhaz side as an initiative aimed at reintegration
with Georgia.
Trying to solve the problems of Abkhazia
behind its back and without its participation like it was in case with
the Georgian so called neutral passports is an absolutely hopeless
policy. The Minister said that Abkhazia would seek the recognition of
the Abkhaz passports as travel documents by Europe in the same way as
the USA, the Great Britain and other countries stamp entry visas in the
passports of citizens of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, which
is not recognized by them.
The Minister stressed that Abkhazia is
interested in finding mutually acceptable solutions and expressed his
willingness to gradually develop reciprocal contacts. However in order
to get positive results first of all it is necessary to consider
Abkhazia as a full-fledged participant of negotiation process.
Everything should be based on equal dialogue and mutual respect.
Some other issues of mutual interest were
also discussed at the meeting. The representatives of the EU delegation
thanked the Minister for frank discussion and expressed interest in
continuing the dialogue.
02.08.2010 Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Abkhazia
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Russia criticizes
Georgia passport idea for Abkhazia and South Ossetia |
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The issuing of “neutral passports” for
citizens of South Ossetia and Abkhazia in Georgia is an attempt to trick
the population, the Russian Foreign Ministry said today,
ITAR-TASS
reports.
The ministry points out that the passports
contain state code and are have marks of the Georgian Interior Ministry
and, thus, cannot be called neutral. Lack of Georgian symbols in the
passport is a trick of Tbilisi, the Russian ministry says.
The Georgian trick proves that Abkhazia
and South Ossetia want independence and confirms moral inferiority of
Georgian politics to force population of the two republics back to
Georgia, the ministry says.
02.08.2010
vestnik kavkaza
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Georgia attacks
sovereignty of S. Ossetia and Abkhazia…again |
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Moscow,
Ahead of the forthcoming presidential election in South Ossetia, Georgia
is actively trying to destabilize the political situation in the
republic, South Ossetia’s State Security Committee said in a statement
released on Wednesday.
The document stresses that it has
reliable information that “Georgian security services are planning a
series of provocations and acts of terror.” Their aim is to “thwart the
presidential election scheduled for March 25, 2012, to foment civil
confrontation and to cast doubt on South Ossetia’s sovereignty and
independence.”
The committee says it has been taking “all
necessary counter measures to defend the constitutional order and
security of South Ossetia.”
Georgia has also started issuing so-called
“neutral” passports for citizens of Abkhazia and South Ossetia, which do
not carry any state symbols on the cover. The authorities of both
republics slammed the move as interference in their domestic affairs.
The Russian Foreign Ministry called the
move “a deceitful attempt” to bring citizens of independent republics of
Abkhazia and South Ossetia back to Georgia.
“We should understand that ‘neutral’
passports are actually not neutral at all,” the statement reads.
“Georgia is mentioned in the “code of the state” column, and the
country’s Interior Ministry is stated as the body which issued the
document. So the absence of Georgian state symbols on the cover is only
a trick, an attempt to deceive…residents of Abkhazia and South Ossetia.”
The statement notes that now Tbilisi has
switched from military aggression and four-year-long blockade to “soft
methods”.
02.08.2010
RT
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Violations of the
Right to Freedom of Movement of the Citizens of Abkhazia, by Asida Lomia |
I
would like to thank you for giving me the opportunity to speak in such
an honorable meeting at the Session dedicated to one of the most
important issues especially for the citizens of Abkhazia, regarding
the right to freedom of movement.
Article 13 (1) of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, (1948) (UDHR) states
that "everyone has the right to freedom of movement and residence within
the borders of each State”. Article 12 (1) of The International Covenant
on Civil and Political Rights, (1966) (ICCPR), provides for the right
to liberty of movement and freedom to choose residence for those ‘lawfully’
within the territory of a State. A number of national constitutions reflect
this provision of international law and provide citizens with the
right to freedom of movement within the State. However this right has
not been fully extended to the citizens of Abkhazia who have been
subjected to severe restrictions on travel outside Abkhazia since
1994. This fact without doubt contravened the International Covenant
of Civil and Political Rights for its paragraph 12(2) which states:
Everyone shall be free to leave any country, including his own."
Ironically, at the end of the 20th century the people of Abkhazia
effectively found themselves behind a new Iron Curtain and were not
free to travel.
Since 1996 Abkhaz passports were no longer recognized as documents valid
for travel outside the Russian Federation. This restricted not only Abkhaz
citizens' right to free movement, but also made Russia the only 'outside
world' with which Abkhazia could communicate. Requests of the Abkhaz
officials and civil society activists to the UN to issue temporary international
travel documents for Abkhaz citizens until the conflict was resolved
were rejected. In recent years, thousands of Abkhaz citizens have adopted
Russian citizenship, allowing them to travel in and beyond Russia. People
living in Abkhazia also possess Abkhaz passports issued by the Republic
of Abkhazia that identify the holder as an Abkhaz citizen. Unfortunately,
the Abkhaz passport is not recognised at international level and
cannot be used for international travel, except those countries which
recognised the independence of Abkhazia. The acquisition of Russian
passports is considered as a pragmatic step that gives people the opportunity
to travel freely for various reasons and issues.
It should be noted that after recognition of Abkhazia by the Russian Federation
in 2008 obtaining of Russian passports has been restricted. Soon a
generation of young people will appear being able to travel just to those
several countries which have recognized Abkhazia and nowhere else. In
that case, the question arises: For whom are so many human rights declarations,
covenants, conventions and laws composed, if people are not equal in
their movement freely within the States of the world?
It might be worth mentioning that In October 2008 the Georgian
Parliament adopted a Law on Occupied Territories, defining a new legal
basis to regulate and restrict contacts between the outside world and
Abkhazia and South Ossetia and raised concerns within the
international community with regard to humanitarian access to the
conflict affected areas. All foreigners are allowed to enter the
territory only from the Georgian side and are liable to criminal
punishment for violations. Foreigners travelling from the Russian Federation
who cross the Russian-Abkhazian border face serious problems in
Georgia. This provision may be in contradiction with the
Georgian international engagements, and it might deteriorate
humanitarian situation and cause unnecessary hardship as it was
mentioned in the OPINION ON THE LAW ON OCCUPIED TERRITORIES OF GEORGIA
OF THE VENICE COMMISSION. Strasbourg, 17 March 2009. I can't help
mentioning that the phrase "occupied territories" in the law passed in
the Georgian Parliament. Abkhazia and South Ossetia are not occupied
by the Russian Federation. Russian military bases located near the
borders between Abkhazia and Georgia as well as South Ossetia and
Georgia, are there according to the agreements signed between the said
states and the Russian Federation. The presence of bases is connected
to the most important right which no one may deny today to any people,
and which is considered to be the right of the rights - it is the
right to life which was several times violated by Georgian government
over the last two decades.
Secondly, such a law isolates the people of Abkhazia from the whole
world and violates the right to lead a dignified life in the very
essence of this word.
Tbilisi opposes the resumption of the work of the Sukhum airport. It
was closed for external flights and the railway functioned only within
Abkhazia's borders or only to Russia. The seaports were closed for
passenger boats, and Abkhaz boats could not leave the port to bring
goods from Turkey.
Obtaining of visas for the citizens of Abkhazia appears to be
complicated and most of the time impossible. For example visas have
been denied even when people apply to travel outside Abkhazia on
medical grounds, which seems utterly unjust and unheard of in our
time.
Here I would like to mention some recent cases when obtaining of visas was
denied to:
1. Children dancing company from Pitsunda intended to perform their culture
in France.
2. NGO representatives to travel to Belgium and Lithuania.
3. Abkhaz representatives to attend the UN General Assembly.
4. Young Team of Intellectuals to participate in the contest in Latvia.
5. Teenagers invited to the German International Peace Youth Camp.
And this we face at the time when freer movement is considered crucial
for the protection and promotion of human rights and fundamental
freedoms.
Finally I would like to add that depriving and/or violating the rights
of the people(s) of Abkhazia is absolutely incomprehensible in the
light of the EU's stated strategy of Engagement without Recognition.
02.06.2012
ALLS Independent Media
Monitoring Team
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Russia to Trade Duty
Free with Abkhazia, South Ossetia |
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Russia intends to conduct duty free
bilateral trade with the republics of Abkhazia and South Ossetia,
including fuel supplies to the region, according to draft trade
agreements published on Monday.
The Russian government has instructed the
Economics Ministry to hold negotiations with the two republics and sign
corresponding trade accords.
The draft agreements stipulate that Russia,
Abkhazia and South Ossetia will not apply customs duties and related
taxes in their imports. Abkhazia, however, will impose a duty-free
regime only from January 1, 2015.
Exemptions will apply to export duties on
Russia’s supplies of sugar, ethyl alcohol, cigarettes and cigars to
these republics.
02.06.2010
RIA Novosti
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Foreign
Minister Viacheslav Chirikba met with the head of the ICRC mission in
Abkhazia |
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On February 3, the Minister of Foreign
Affairs of the Republic of Abkhazia, Viacheslav Chirikba met with the
head of the ICRC mission, Luc Haas. The meeting was also attended by the
Deputy Foreign Minister Irakly Khintba and the head of the International
Department of the Foreign Ministry Lana Agrba.
One of the topics of discussion was the
question of the fate of three citizens of Abkhazia, detained in the
prison of Tbilisi. According to Luc Haas, the ICRC will take steps,
which will provide information on the status of prisoners. Moreover, the
families of these citizens will have the opportunity to convey messages
to their relatives through the ICRC.
By the end of meeting the head of the
mission also spoke about the current activities of the organization, in
particular the work carried out to search for those missing as a result
of the Georgian-Abkhazian conflict as well as assistance provision to
their families. Some other issues of humanitarian concern were also
voiced.
02.03.2010 Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Abkhazia
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Meeting of the
Deputy Foreign Minister Irakly Khintba with representatives of the UNHCR |
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On February 2, the Deputy Minister of
Foreign Affairs Irakly Khintba met with UNHCR representatives, headed by
Davit Makhmuryan, the new head of office of the organization in Abkhazia
(Gal), and the former head of the UNHCR office in Abkhazia, Srecko
Neumann. The Abkhaz side was attended by the head of International
Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Lana Agrba.
Khintba and Makhmuryan discussed the
prospects of further cooperation. Deputy Minister noted the interest of
the Abkhaz Foreign Ministry in enhancing constructive cooperation with
specialized UN agencies and other international non-governmental
organizations (INGOs). Irakly Khintba stressed that at present more
effective mechanisms of cooperation are being developed, noting that
from recent time the functions of coordination of international
humanitarian activities on the territory of Abkhazia are returned to the
Foreign Ministry. The Deputy Minister emphasized the need for greater
information sharing to enhance the transparency of INGOs’ activity in
Abkhazia. He especially stressed that the Abkhaz leadership attaches
great importance to the quality of construction works, and asked the
representatives of the UNHCR to consider this in their work.
Guests, in their turn, briefed the
leadership of the Foreign Ministry on their current activities, in
particular on housing reconstruction in the Ochamchira, Tkuarchal and
Gal districts of Abkhazia as well as projects aimed at provision of
legal support to the population.
Deputy Minister expressed gratitude to
Srecko Neumann for his work and wished the new head of UNHCR office in
Abkhazia Davit Mahmuryan success. Davit Makhmuryan thanked Irakly
Khintba for the detailed business discussion, and expressed willingness
of UNHCR for fruitful cooperation.
02.03.2010 Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Abkhazia
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MFA
of Abkhazia expresses heartfelt condolences to the MFA of Turkey on the
passing of the first winner of the beauty contest "Miss World - 1932"
Keriman Halis Ece |
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Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the
Republic of Abkhazia expresses heartfelt condolences to the Ministry of
Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Turkey on the passing of the first
winner of the beauty contest "Miss World - 1932" Keriman Halis Ece on
January 28, 2012.
The letter says, in particular:
«Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the
Republic of Abkhazia presents its compliments to the Ministry of Foreign
Affairs of the Republic of Turkey and expresses heartfelt condolences on
the passing of the first winner of the beauty contest "Miss World -
1932" Keriman Halis Ece on January 28, 2012.
The passing over of Keriman Halis, who was
awarded by Ataturk the surname Ece for the victory in the beauty contest,
is a sad event not only for Turkey, but also for Abkhazia, as Keriman
Halis Ece was a Turkish citizen of Abkhaz descent from the family of
Ebzhnou. Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Abkhazia asks
the Foreign Ministry to pass its most sincere condolences to the
families and friends of Keriman Halis Ece, who will always be remembered
by the people of Abkhazia as the icon of Caucasian beauty».
01.02.2012
Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Abkhazia
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