Russian MFA Information and Press Department Commentary in Connection with a Russian Media Question about the Current Situation in Georgian-Abkhaz Settlement

Question: Abkhazia has become a subject of close attention from western diplomacy of late. Representatives from the US, EU and individual European states have visited Sukhumi. How can this activity be assessed?

Commentary: We have been closely watching developments around Abkhazia. Indeed, several western delegations at various levels have visited there recently, including Javier Solana, EU High Representative for the Common Foreign and Security Policy; Matthew Bryza, US Deputy Assistant Secretary of State; Brian Fall, UK Foreign Office special representative for the southern Caucasus, and the ambassadors of EU member states accredited to Tbilisi. It seems these politicians and diplomats, having for a long time preferred to receive information about Abkhazia at third-hand, have finally decided that "better to see once." One can only welcome this change of approach.

Judging by incoming information, the western delegations visiting Sukhumi make it their aim to persuade the Abkhaz leadership to resume talks suspended almost two years ago with the Georgian side. Remaining committed to political methods of conflict settlement, we consider such a task absolutely justified. And yet we cannot fail to note the following. In working towards resuming Georgian-Abkhaz dialogue, it should not be forgotten that it was suspended as a result of the gross violation by the Georgian side of the provisions of the Moscow Agreement on the ceasefire and separation of forces of 14 May 1994 and of the relevant UN Security Council resolutions. It would at any rate be naïve to expect return of one of the parties to the negotiating table before the other party proves its adherence to previous agreements in practice.

It is known to us that the leadership of Abkhazia has proposed a clear-cut and logical action scheme for a way out of the current highly tense situation. President Sergey Bagapsh rightly considers it necessary to first undertake steps which would greatly reinforce trust between the conflicting parties – above all, such as withdrawing Georgian units from the upper part of the Kodori Gorge and signing an agreement on the nonuse of force and on security guarantees. We fully support that approach. If Tbilisi accepts it, de-escalation of tension, reinforcement of stability, and eventually the settlement of the Georgian-Abkhaz conflict will become realistic.

June 9, 2008