Abkhaz delegation renounces its participation in Geneva Talks on security and stability in the Caucasus

Sukhum, The Abkhaz delegation sent a note to the secretariat of co chairmen of Geneva Talks on security and stability in Transcaucasia, and notified that it renounced its participation in the 12th round of discussions scheduled for July 27.

Commenting on this decision, a member of the Abkhaz delegation, the deputy President’s envoy Nadir Bitiev said: “We did not leave the Geneva process, but renounced our participation in the twelfth round scheduled for July 27”. At that he emphasized that nobody no-one doubts the feasibility of Geneva Talks, but the question is the objectivity of co-chairmen. The co-chairmen of the Geneva discussions are the UN, the EU, and OSCE representatives.

“Our proposals are being ignored, discussions on the non-renewal of war are being procrastinated, instead secondary questions are being discussed”, Bitiev said. “Thereupon we feel the co-chairmen have no real proposals, and we want to give them time till September to prepare a document, concerning security, and acceptable for all sides”.

“The Geneva discussions are necessary, and it is normal that each party voices its position, but the mediators must be neutral and non-biased. But the mediators fail to conduct discussions in a constructive impartial manner”, Nadir Bitiev stressed.

06.25.2010  Official Site of the President of the Republic of Abkhazia

 First consignment of Abkhazia’s foreign passports already printed in Russian Goznak and will be delivered in the republic in the near future

The first consignment of Abkhazia’s foreign passports has been already printed in Russian Goznak and will be delivered in the republic in the near future, the chief of the Passport and Visa Service of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Republic of Abkhazia Valery Malia said. At that he did not specify how many passports would be delivered in Sukhum.

Malia added that the Passport and Visa Service was equipped technologically and ready to issue foreign passports of the citizen of the Republic of Abkhazia. However, a new special computer program that is being developed by Krasnodar programmers is necessary to begin issuing passports.

Malia believes they will begin to issue passports at the end of June.

“We are waiting for a decision of the Cabinet that should approve the new passports, fix its cost and period of validity. I believe it will not be more expensive than the internal passport”, the agency’s interlocutor said.

According to the Passport and Visa Service chief, in the first place passports will be issued to the Abkhaz students studying in Russian higher education establishments and to the citizens in need of urgent treatment in medical institutions of the Russian Federation. District residents can receive passports domiciliary in the Passport and Visa Service district offices.

Malia specified only those who have an internal passport of the citizen of the Republic of Abkhazia have the right to receive a foreign passport.

06.24.2010  Official Site of the President of the Republic of Abkhazia

 Abkhazia is recognised by really independent countries not watching the reaction of the USA and Europe, the Foreign Minister of Abkhazia declared

Abkhazia is recognised by really independent countries not watching the reaction of the USA and Europe, the head of the Foreign Ministry Maxim Gunjia said at a news conference.

Russia, that was the first to recognize Abkhazia's independence, according to Gunjia, is an independent country positioning itself as a world power. “Russia had both moral, and legal grounds to recognize Abkhazia what it seized the opportunity of”, Gunjia believes.

As to Latin American countries whom the authorities of Abkhazia carry on active negotiations and meetings with, they, according to Gunjia, “in spite of the fact that they are united in different economic and political unions, take decisions irrespective of opinions of London, Brussels or Washington”.

Maxim Gunjia regrets that still there are a lot of people in Europe and the USA who think by the “cold war” categories and who are, naturally, worried by Russia's growing influence in the Caucasus and the entire Eurasian region.

According to the head of the Ministry for Foreign Affairs, President Sergey Bagapsh plans to visit Nicaragua and Venezuela on an official visit in the near future.

Besides Latin America, Abkhazia also establishes relations with Middle East countries – Jordan Syria, and Libya, Maxim Gunjia added.

06.21.2010  Official Site of the President of the Republic of Abkhazia

 Maxim Gunjia: International community tries to isolate Abkhazia, depriving our citizens of the right to free movement

The international community owing to Georgia's efforts tries to isolate Abkhazia, depriving our citizens of the right to free movement, the Foreign Minister of Abkhazia Maxim Gunjia said on Friday at a news conference in Sukhum.

“The information that embassies of the Schengen countries have received instructions not to issue visas to the residents of Abkhazia cannot but arouses indignation”, Gunjia said. And visas are not issued not only to state officials, but private persons, even deprive people of the right to reestablishment of family links. Representatives of non-governmental sector of Abkhazia has not been granted visas recently either.

According to Gunjia, a conclusion inevitably comes to mind that after the recognition of Abkhazia by Russia the European Union adopted a certain strategy – the international isolation of republic.

06.21.2010  Official Site of the President of the Republic of Abkhazia

The position of Abkhazia has always been constructive, we have always sought to continue  participating in the Geneva discussions on security and stability in Transcaucasia in spite of the fact that Georgia puts obstacles in the way of developing and signing a document on the non-use of force and non-renewal of war until now, the Foreign Minister of Abkhazia Maxim Gunjia said today at a news conference in the Association of mass-media employees of the Republic of Abkhazia.
 

According to him, after the latest, eleventh round of discussions and the polemics that has taken place there, the Abkhaz party is under the impression that Georgia will not sign the document, and the international mediators will not insist it should sign this very important document.  
 

“We also have a feeling that Geneva talks moderators, in particular in humanitarian issues panel, try to ignore purposefully the Abkhaz party's arguments on the refugees problem, the raising of a blockade, humanitarian aid, and so on”, Gunjia added.  
 

According to the Foreign Ministry head, co-moderators tried to impose an unacceptable document on the Abkhaz and South Ossetian parties and Sukhum and Tshinval representatives had to walk out the meeting. “Otherwise it would mean we agreed with the proposed document”, he said.
 

“We are under the impression that our arguments remain unheard, the principal item on the agenda, regarding security, has been sidelined, and some minor items which have nothing to do with maintenance of long-term stability and secuirty in the region has come to the foreground”, Maxim Gunjia declared.  
 

He added that throughout the 16 post-war years and during the negotiations, Abkhazia had tried to persuade Georgia and the countries backing it up that it was risky to build trust or strengthen measures of trust in the situation of instability and possibility of a new armed conflict.
 

“We still insist on signing a document on the non-renewal of hostilities as it is a basis of security”, the head of the Foreign Ministry added.
 

In spite of the fact that many doubt the expediency of Geneva discussions, Maxim Gunjia nevertheless believes them to be  a place where Abkhazia can bring its position to the attention of the international community.
 

The Minister emphasized that for the next twelfth round of Geneva discussions Abkhazia was likely to ask moderators to specify concrete items on the agenda.

06.21.2010  Official Site of the President of the Republic of Abkhazia

 The Foreign Ministry of Abkhazia is utterly opposed to the idea that UN agencies and other international organizations working in Abkhazia obtain a permission to realize humanitarian projects here form the State Minister of Georgia for Reintegration

The Foreign Ministry of Abkhazia is utterly opposed to the idea that UN agencies and other international organizations working in Abkhazia obtain a permission to realize humanitarian projects here form the State Minister of Georgia for Reintegration, the Foreign Minister of Abkhazia Maxim Gunjia said today at a news conference in Association of mass-media employees of the Republic of Abkhazia.

In view of the recognition of Abkhazia in 2008 the Ministry for Foreign Affairs offered to conclude a Memorandum of cooperation with international humanitarian organisations in Abkhazia.

Gunjia said that another meeting with representatives of all international humanitarian organisations in Abkhazia had been held today in Sukhum.

“We are not happy that projects in Abkhazia should be approved in Georgia. We are grateful to many international organisations that have been carrying out different humanitarian projects necessary for Abkhazia throughout 16 years. They have helped us very much , but today the realities are different”, Gunjia said.

Gunjia declared that the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Abkhazia would nevertheless insist a Memorandum on cooperation between the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Abkhazia and missions of the international humanitarian organisations working in the republic be signed.

According to Gunjia, today five UN agencies and six international humanitarian organisations carry out their projects in Abkhazia.

06.18.2010  Official Site of the President of the Republic of Abkhazia

 The Parliament of Abkhazia considers a Lithuanian Seim resolution “About the situation in Georgia” as pro-georgian and falsely interpreting the August, 2008 events in Abkhazia and South Ossetia

The Parliament of Abkhazia considers a Lithuanian Seim resolution “About the situation in Georgia” as pro-georgian and falsely interpreting the August, 2008 events in Abkhazia and South Ossetia. “Adoption of a progeorgian resolution by the Seim of Lithuania is encouragement by Vilnius of the Georgian leadership that has again made more active its efforts in changing the situation around Abkhazia and South Ossetia”, the statement spread today by the People’s Assembly – the Parliament of the Republic of Abkhazia says.

“For the first time an official document of a European state names the war in South Ossetia an aggression of Russia, names Abkhazia and South Ossetia - occupied Georgian territories, pseudo-state puppet formations, and the recognition of their sovereignties –an unlawful act. It is significant that before this document was approved, the Ambassador of Georgia in Lithuania has voiced in Vilnius the same thoughts what indicates that actions of both countries are coordinated”, the Abkhaz parliament adds. Thereupon elected representatives of the people specify that “the Resolution does not mention EU commission’s conclusions of the conflict causes”.

“On the eve of the adoption of the Resolution by the Lithuanian parliament on May 27, 2010 the head of the EU Commission Heidi Tagliavini in the OSCE Permanent Council has stated principal conclusions of the report she has prepared in relation to the August, 2008 events in the Caucasus”, the Statement reads. “The report admits that hostilities have been unleashed by the Armed Forces of Georgia, condemns massed artillery bombardment of the capital of South Ossetia - Tskhinval from the Georgian side. The report also says the Ossetians’ self-defense in response to the illegal military attack of Georgia was legitimate. Thus, the position of Lithuania runs counter to the European Union position”.

The Abkhaz MPs “hardly believe” that “the Seim of Lithuania, taking its decision, did not know about the conclusions containing in the EU commission’s report on the abovementioned events”. According to the Parliament, “ignoring objective facts of the August, 2008 events and the EU Commission’s conclusions, the Lithuanian parliament MPs proceeded from the short-term considerations, following the faulty logic of separating the conflicting parties for “ours" and “strange”.

“Reckless short-term support to Georgia from the part of many countries was the main reason of its aggressive policy in relation to Abkhazia and South Ossetia, and the military operation in August, 2008, in particular”, the People’s Assembly of Abkhazia believes.

Military intrusion of Georgia into South Ossetia, the statement says, “was taken in defiance of its international obligations it has undertaken during the process of conflict settlement”. “Georgia, by selecting genocide for solving its political problems, has crossed out the possibility of joint residence of Ossetians, Abkhaz and Georgians in one state. Engagement of Russian troops in the conflict zone was a humanitarian action to protect the Abkhaz and Ossetian ethnos and citizens of the Russian Federation”, MPs consider.

In their opinion, “the recognition by Russia of Abkhazia and South Ossetia is based on these nations’ will, accords with the United Nations Charter, the Helsinki Final Act of 1975, and other international norms”.

“The recognition of Abkhazia and South Ossetia is well-grounded legally and justified morally. Now the Russian troops are in the territory of both independent republics in accordance with the bilateral interstate Agreements. All these facts refute theses of the Lithuanian side about illegitimacy of the recognition of Abkhazia and South Ossetia and occupation of these territories by Russia”.

The statement of the Parliament also emphasizes that “Georgia has renewed terrorist activity for the purpose of changing the situation around Abkhazia and South Ossetia, at the same time the leadership of Georgia refuses to sign a legally binding document on the non-use of force in the course of Geneva process for the Caucasus”.

These actions, the Parliament of Abkhazia believes, “are aimed at the permanent forcing of tension in the region”. “In this situation the statement on reestablishment of Georgia’s jurisdiction over Abkhazia and South Ossetia from the part of the Seim of Lithuania is an irresponsible act in support of terrorism and renewal of war”, the Statement stresses.

06.15.2010  Official Site of the President of the Republic of Abkhazia

The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Russia Sergey Lavrov declared that, by recognizing Abkhazia and South Ossetia, Russia had “finally” settled these conflicts, what “other serious countries” agree with.
 

“For us the question is settled once and for all. I'll take it upon myself to say that it is also finally and irrevocably settled for other serious countries. Simply by virtue of political correctness or other political reasons they cannot officially acknowledge this. I have said, on more than one occasion: that was not our choice; all complaints, if someone still has any, should be addressed to Mikhail Saakashvili, who trampled the territorial integrity of Georgia”, he said in an interview with the Kommersant when he was asked, whether the status quo in relation to separative regions was forever.
 

As he said, the point about defining the status of these regions had been crossed out from the final draft cease-fire agreement of August 12, 2008 by request of president Saakashvili.
 

“When the aim of the operation to suppress aggression was fulfilled and the Russian president gave the order to halt the military operation, the Medvedev-Sarkozy plan was agreed upon, providing the basis for further action. The sixth point of the plan was the thesis about the need to start international discussions on the status of Abkhazia and South Ossetia and on ensuring their security. We signed up for this. That is, on August 12, 2008, the day on which the military operation was concluded, the Russian president agreed that the status of these regions was subject to international debate”, Lavrov said and went on:
 

“We did not have any thoughts that would have a geopolitical dimension. We were thinking about how to stop the killing of our citizens and residents of South Ossetia. We just took a breath and were in the political framework of which I now speak. We were ready on the day of the end of hostilities to continue the discussion on the status of Abkhazia and South Ossetia. The document was agreed. French President Nicolas Sarkozy took it to Tbilisi. And then he rang and said that Saakashvili was categorically against discussing the status of these republics, that for him the status was clear and this phrase must be crossed out. We agreed”.
 

“By the way, Saakashvili also manipulated other parts of the Medvedev-Sarkozy plan. Because the six points were preceded by an introductory text, which read: the Russian and French presidents endorse the following principles and urge the parties to implement them. In the document which eventually Saakashvili agreed to sign, he not only threw out the phrase about the status of Abkhazia and South Ossetia, but also struck out the introductory part and now claims that the document calls for Russia, inter alia, to discontinue some things, whereas the introductory part said clearly and unambiguously that the two presidents urged the parties to do so-and-so. That’s why it is called the Medvedev-Sarkozy plan”, Lavrov said in an interview.
 

As he said, Russia had already fulfilled the obligations ensuing from the cease-fire agreement in the context of withdrawal of its troops from the separatist regions what Tbilisi and international organizations called Moscow to.
 

“The troops who participated in the suppression of the attack on South Ossetia were withdrawn to Russian territory. By that time, status discussions had failed amid revanchist statements from Tbilisi that the war was not over. So by the end of August it was decided that there was no way to ensure the security and survival of the Abkhaz and South Ossetians other than recognizing their independence. And the current contingents of Russian troops in South Ossetia and Abkhazia are there on a different legal basis – on the basis of the agreements between Russia and the two states recognized by it. Russia has fulfilled this part of the Medvedev-Sarkozy plan”, Lavrov said.
 

He also said that “those who say that we should return to the line we held before August 8 forget that prior to August 8, 2008 our troops stood in the depths of Georgian territory”.
 

“The peacekeepers were not only in South Ossetia, which was then part of Georgia, but also outside it. The same thing was also around Abkhazia. Therefore, if they call upon us to advance beyond South Ossetia and Abkhazia to the lines on which our peacekeepers had ensured security before August 8, 2008, I would be grateful if they told us directly so”, Lavrov declared.

06.15.2010  Official Site of the President of the Republic of Abkhazia

 International turkish association for human rights ready to voice Abkhazia's problems on international scene

Today the vice-president of Abkhazia Alexander Ankuab met with representatives of the International Turkish Association for Human Rights (ITAHR).

The Association's Chairman Abdullah Bukshur said that the Association has representatives offices in 22 countries of the world. "Besides, we cooperate with many international human rights organizations”,  he said. “Thanks to active work of the Federation of the Peoples of the Caucasus in Turkey which tells much and in details about Abkhazia, we are informed about the situation in the republic".
 

According to Bukshur, the association is ready to voice the position of Abkhazia, its citizens' problems, in particular connected with restrictions of travel to the European countries, at its conventions held twice a year. "It is necessary to voice these problems more loudly on international scene. And we will try to help solve them as far as possible. Unlike diplomats who have to keep back at times, the Association for Human Rights can openly voice the most burning issues, and this possibility must be used", he emphasized.
 

Abdullah Bukshur said they intended to open an Association's representative office in Abkhazia.
 

"We are grateful to the leadership of Turkey that our citizens have the possibility to enter your country freely ”, vice-president Alexander Ankuab said. “Just as we want to go to other countries, but citizens of Abkhazia even with Russian passports for travel abroad, are deprived of such a possibility".
 

Alexander Ankuab said that Abkhaz passports for travel abroad up to international standards and possessing necessary degrees of protection would shortly be issued in the republic. "We change, we develop, and it would be a good thing if we could go to Turkey, France, Germany, the USA etc. with them”, he said.
 

The Association's representatives were interested in the population size of Abkhazia, ethnic structure, the situation in the Gal district, issues of the refugees' return, a possible format of  future mutual relations with Georgia. The vice-president gave detailed answers to all those questions.
 

"All who could have already returned to Abkhazia. No postconflict state has returned so many refugees as Abkhazia has", Ankuab said.
 

Touching upon the situation in the Gal district, the vice-president said that "the state uses the best efforts to improve life of all its citizens, including Gal residents". "However subversive and terrorist acts of Georgian special services destabilize the situation in the area”, Ankuab said. “The current situation cannot be compared to that of ten years ago, but murders of customs officers, law enforcers and representatives of local administrations go on today”.
 

The vice-president told the guests that national passports, as of April, 2010, had been issued to 77 thousand Abkhazs, 33 thousand Armenians, 18 thousand Russians, 13 thousand Georgians, more than 8 thousand representatives of other nationalities.
 

Ankuab expressed hope that the numerous Abkhaz diaspora living in Turkey, Syria, Jordan and other countries, would with time return more actively to the historical Motherland.

06.11.2010  Official Site of the President of the Republic of Abkhazia

Position of delegations of Abkhazia and South Ossetia on the most important issues concerning vital interests of their nations found no understanding with both the Georgian and American participants of the Discussions, and co-moderators (the United Nations, the EU and OSCE) at the Geneva consultations on security and stability in Transcaucasia, says a joint statement of delegations of the Republic of Abkhazia and the Republic of South Ossetia at the International discussions on security and stability in Transcaucasia made on June 8.

The agenda discussed in advance proposed, first of all, discussion of ways of ensuring stable peace and security in South Ossetia and Abkhazia, as well as the common problem of victims of Georgia's aggression against South Ossetia and Abkhazia in 1989-1992, 1992-1993, 2004 and 2008. Instead of it, the statement reads, the co-moderators attempted to propose consideration of secondary issues, which have no sense without ensuring security guarantees for the Republic of South Ossetia and the Republic of Abkhazia.

The Abkhaz and Ossetian parties declare their adherence “to the course of search for solutions, acceptable for all parties of the Geneva Talks, which could lead to considerable improvement of  general situation in the region”.

At the same time, the Abkhaz and South Ossetian delegations believe that “this work is possible only with unbiased attitude of co-moderators to all parties”.

06.10.2010  Official Site of the President of the Republic of Abkhazia

Vienna, Russia stands for a binding non-use of force deal between Georgia and its former republics of Abkhazia and South Ossetia and is willing to act as a guarantor, a Russian diplomat said on Thursday.

"The discussion of these issues must take two important aspects into account," Russia's envoy to the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe Anvar Azimov said at a meeting of the group's Permanent Council.

"First, the agreement should be concluded exclusively within the Tbilisi-Tskhinval-Sukhum triangle. Second, Russia could be a guarantor of this deal, but not a party to the agreement," he said.

Azimov criticized demands by the Georgian leadership on the issue.

"Tbilisi's demands that the agreement should be reached between Georgia and Russia are wrong, both from a political and a historical standpoint," the envoy said.

Russia, which recognized Abkhazia and South Ossetia as independent states after an armed conflict with Georgia in August 2008, has signed numerous military cooperation deals with the republics, including agreements to establish permanent Russian military bases in Gudauta (Abkhazia) and Tskhinval (South Ossetia).

Georgia severed diplomatic relations with Russia after the conflict and declared Abkhazia and South Ossetia "occupied territories." Tbilisi insists that Russian forces should withdraw from the republics as the ceasefire deal rules out Russian military presence in Georgia.

The United States and its Western allies have repeatedly criticized Russia for its military cooperation with South Ossetia and Abkhazia on the grounds that it contravenes the ceasefire deal.

A new round of talks on the issue was held on June 8 in Geneva. The talks involve Georgia, Russia, the United States, South Ossetia and Abkhazia.

Washington opposes a binding non-use of force deal between Georgia and its former republics saying that the French-mediated ceasefire agreement signed by Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev on August 12, 2008, "already establishes the sides' commitment to the non-use of force."

Moscow insists, though, that the existing agreement is not enough to guarantee security in the region.

06.10.2010  RIA Novosti

The U.S. opposed a binding non-use of force deal between Georgia and Abkhazia and South Ossetia during international discussions on security in South Caucasus, a South Ossetian envoy to the talks told RIA Novosti.

A new round of talks on Transcaucasus, launched after Russia's war with Georgia in 2008, was held on Tuesday in Geneva. The talks involve Georgia, Russia, the United States and former Georgian republics of South Ossetia and Abkhazia, recognized by Russia as independent states.

The next round of the discussions, backed by the UN, the EU and the OSCE, is scheduled for July 27.

"It may be said that the U.S. seeks to bury the Geneva discussions. The Americans say: why signing the [non-use of force] deal? Better let us carry out humanitarian operations," Boris Chochiyev said, adding that little progress was made during the talks.

He added that the most important problem for his country was to prevent a new, U.S.-supported, Georgian attack to bring the former republics, also recognized by Venezuela, Nauru and Nicaragua, under central control.

The U.S. delegation to the talks said in a written statement that the French-mediated ceasefire agreement signed by Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev on August 12, 2008, "already establishes the sides' commitment to the non-use of force."

"Full implementation of that agreement — which we still await from the Russian Federation — would render an additional agreement unnecessary," the statement said.

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Grigory Karasin said the ceasefire agreement were "not enough" to guarantee security in the region.

"We can't constantly refer to these agreements as a guarantee of peaceful, happy life in the region," Reuters quoted Karasin as saying.

The U.S. and its Western allies have repeatedly criticized Russia for its military cooperation with the South Ossetia and Abkhazia on the grounds that it contravenes the ceasefire deal.

"So if there is any new agreement, which we are ready to work on with the Russian Federation, it should comply with all of those points which already exist in the 12th of August agreement," Georgian First Deputy Foreign Minister Giorgi Bokeria said after the talks.

Russia, which recognized Abkhazia and South Ossetia as independent states after the Georgian aggression, signed numerous military cooperation deals with the republics, including agreements to establish permanent Russian military bases in Gudauta (Abkhazia) and Tskhinval (South Ossetia).

Each base is likely to host up to 1,700 servicemen, T-62 tanks, light armored vehicles, S-300 air defense systems and various aircraft.

Tbilisi, which considers Abkhazia and South Ossetia its "occupied territory," insists that Russian forces should withdraw from the republics as the ceasefire deal rules out Russian military presence in Georgia.

06.09.2010  Itar-Tass

 Grigory Karasin and US deputy secretary of state discussed situation in Transcaucasia, course, prospects of Geneva discussions

Grigoriy Karasin, the deputy Foreign Minister of Russia and Philip Gordon, the U.S. deputy Secretary of State discussed situation in Transcaucasia, as well as course and prospects of Geneva discussions. According to the Russian MFA the meeting of diplomats was held on June 7 in Geneva, RIA Novosti said.

The Russian side emphasized the necessity of the sooner search for admissible variant of legal binding of non-use of force obligation, in particular by signing unilateral topical declarations by Abkhaz, Georgian and South Ossetian sides, the message says.

The document claims the exchange of opinions on Nagorno-Karabakh and Transnistrian settlement, situation in Central Asia and Afghanistan was held.

The 11th round of Geneva Talks on security and stability in Transcaucasia started in Switzerland on Tuesday, the participants discussed situation at the borders of Abkhazia and South Ossetia and Georgia.

06.09.2010  Official Site of the President of the Republic of Abkhazia

The President of Abkhazia's envoy Vyacheslav Chirikba declares that at the Geneva discussions on security in Transcaucasia the parties again could not reach an agreement to develop a document guaranteeing the non-use of force against South Ossetia and Abkhazia.

"Negotiations were difficult both in the first and in the second group", Vyacheslav Chirikba said.
 

He said that "the security-related issues and development of an agreement on the non-use of force were discussed in the first group, but the Georgian party tries actively to skate round this question, and it is backed by the US representatives and even the co-chairmen of the Geneva process - representatives of the EU, the United Nations, OSCE".
 

"Both the Abkhaz, and South Ossetian delegations voiced a protest since development of this agreement is the main purpose of our participation in the discussions", Chirikba said.
 

"They propose some insignificant texts which are not directly related to this subject", he said.
 

The President's envoy reminded that "an addition about the necessity to develop a legally binding document guaranteeing the non-use of force  has been made to Medvedev-Sarkozy agreements of August 12, 2008 and September 8 the same year".
 

According to him, "negotiations in the second group discussing humanitarian problems as well as  issues of refugees and displaced persons were also tough, as Georgia proposes unacceptable wordings what has hampered the work of this group".
 

"Such discussions and disputes have been underway all day long, and now we together with the South Ossetian representatives are prepaing a separate communique where we will express our disagreement by the course of negotiations", he added.
 

Answering the question whether it means there will not be the following round, Vyacheslav Chirikba said: "Since the positions of the parties are too far from each other and these discussions' organizers impede development of the main document - agreement on the non-use of force, nothing can be ruled out".
 

"But  it is hard to to speak about it so far, this issue will be decided with co-chairmen of discussions (EU, the United Nations, OSCE) who will visit Tbilisi, Sukhum and Tskhinval after a while", Chirikba said.
 

He added that "the Geneva discussions are in crisis".
 

Earlier the President of South Ossetia's envoy on post-conflict settlement Boris Chochiev declared that "the main issue that was discussed at the talks is that of the non-use of force. However, as one might expect, the Georgian party and its satellites have started more openly to express their opinion that, allegedly, according to Medvedev-Sarkozy agreements there is no necessity to develop this draft. The Saakashvili regime's representatives were backed by the US deputy Secretary of State Phillip Gordon".
 

As he said, the US representative's opinion was severely criticized by representatives of South Ossetia, Abkhazia and Russia.
 

The discussion of humanitarian issues and those of refugees were also hampered. "Since the opinion of South Ossetia and Abkhazia were ignored, our delegations walked out from the meeting", he said.

06.09.2010  Official Site of the President of the Republic of Abkhazia

 Incidents in the Gal District of Abkhazia are a dangerous sign that not all problems in the region are settled - Grigory Karasin

Last incidents in the Gal district of Abkhazia which resulted in two people's death, is "an extremely dangerous sign that not all problems /in the region/ are settled", the head of the Russian delegation, the deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation Grigory Karasin told journalists following the results of the the 11th round of discussions on secuirty and stability in Transcaucasia held on June 8.
 

Delegations of the Republic of Abkhazia, Georgia, Russia, the USA, the Republic South Ossetia took part in the negotiations held under the aegis of the United Nations, the EU and OSCE.
 

“This incident is a tragic illustration of the fact that the situation in adjacent regions of Abkhazia and Georgia, South Ossetia and Georgia is complicated”, he said, adding that it "can lead to serious consequences for the people living in this area".
 

The co-chairman of the discussions, the UN Special Representative Pier Morel also expressed his concern.
 

Reading out the final communique, he called "the parties to restrain from any actions which might lead to destabilization or growth of tension", admitting that "the situation in the region remains complicated and dangerous".
 

On June, 1 in the Gal district as a result of subversive act a State Customs Committee officer Gennady Kvitsinia died, and on June 3 a head of village administration Dmitry Katsia did.
 

Karasin mentioned that these incidents put on guard especially, "because it keeps within the general logic of the Georgian propaganda which wants to intimidate the population of adjacent regions with possible consequences, instability and threat for life", adding that "now in Georgia, unfortunately, there are dangerous tendencies to rouse ethnic contradictions".
 

According to the diplomat, the way out from this situation is to strengthen the existing mechanisms on incident prevention and response in the region. Endorsed last year in Geneva, they imply all forms of interaction - information, military, and police one, however are not applied yet in full. "We hope that the wide set of measures will be used, and it will be indeed a good forerunner of a stable situation in this region", the deputy head of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs told ITAR-TASS.
 

Karasin said that the following week the situation will be discussed at the scene, in the city of Gal, within the framework of the mechanism on incident prevention in a zone of the Georgian-Abkhaz conflict /Abkhazia, Georgia, the Russian Federation, the United Nations, the EC/.
 

The next, 12th round of consultations is scheduled for July 27. The discussions held since October, 2008 on the basis of agreements of presidents of Russia and France, are traditionally held in two working groups - on security issues and humanitarian problems.

06.09.2010  Official Site of the President of the Republic of Abkhazia

 Sukhum, Abkhazia’s authorities have accused Georgian secret services of firing on a car with customs officers, chairman of the State Customs Committee of Abkhazia Said Tarkil told ITAR-TASS.

One of the Abkhazian customs officers was killed, another two were injured as a result of shooting on the car in which they were staying. According to Said Tarkil, the car with the customs officers was approaching the police post situated in the village of Saberio in immediate proximity to the Georgian-Abkhazian border when it was fired on from automatic arms.

"The customs officers opened return fire, but the attackers escaped to the adjacent Georgian territory," Tarkil said. "As a result, one customs officer Gennady Kvitsinia died and his two colleagues Dzhigania and Bagatelia got injuries and were brought to the republican hospital in Sukhum."

06.01.2010  Itar-Tass