|
|
Abkhazia
Offers Russia to Host Radar in Sukhum |
Moscow,
Abkhazia has offered Russia to set up a
radar station in the capital of Sukhum. Sergey Bagapsh, president
Abkhazia, voiced this initiative in Moscow on Wednesday.
The station may be
located in Abkhazia in response to America’s move to deploy a radar
station in Georgia, the Mayak radio reported Wednesday. Abkhazia’s
President believes that the station of the U.S. anti-aircraft missile
system will be spying not only on Abkhazia but also on Armenia,
Azerbaijan and Russia’s south.
Sergey Bagapsh
called Georgia a “hostile country” and said he believes that Tbilisi is
preparing a war on Abkhazia.
The suggestion was
voiced one day after the U.S. House of Representatives endorsed a bill
to allocate funds to support Georgia’s bid to enter NATO.
The situation in
South Ossetia, is still volatile. A checkpoint of Russian peace keepers
came under fire earlier this week.
03.28.2007 Kommersant
|
Abkhazia proposes Russia
deploy radar on its territory |
Moscow, Republic of Abkhazia has
proposed that Russia deploy a radar on its territory, the president of
the republic of Abkhazia said Wednesday.
Sergei Bagapsh said the proposal was in
response to Georgia's intention to deploy a U.S. radar on its territory.
"Georgia is an unfriendly country, and
moreover it is a country that is constantly preparing for war against
Abkhazia," Bagapsh said. "The deployment of a U.S. radar station will be
targeted against Abkhazia. That is why we have proposed that Russia
deploy a similar station in Sukhum."
The United States plans to deploy a radar
installation in the Czech Republic and a missile base in Poland by
2011-2012, saying the shield is needed to counter possible attacks from
Iran. But Russia objects to the plans, treating them as a security
threat.
The March 1 Pentagon announcement of plans
to deploy a radar base in the Caucasus further fueled Russia's concerns,
evoking suspicions that NATO-oriented Georgia could be a possible site.
Georgian officials have denied the possibility.
Bagapsh said there already was a radar
station that Russia could use in Sukhum, the capital of Abkhazia, it
just requires reactivation.
The Abkhaz president also said that
Georgia's possible admission to NATO will only speed up the recognition
of sovereignty for his republic and the republic of South Ossetia.
"The sooner Georgia joins NATO the sooner
Abkhazia and South Ossetia will become independent states," Bagapsh said.
Tbilisi hopes NATO membership will help it
regain control of the regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia. Russia
helped to end the bloody conflicts in the region in the early 1990s and
has maintained peacekeeping troops there ever since.
The U.S. House of Representatives gave a
final backing to NATO's further eastward enlargement, including bids
from ex-Soviet Georgia and Ukraine on Monday, promising a total of $12
million in aid to the two countries and former Communist-bloc members
Albania, Croatia and Macedonia in 2008. The bill has yet to be signed by
the president.
Moscow strongly opposes efforts by Georgia
and Ukraine to join the alliance, saying the prospect threatens its
security and prompts a new arms race.
03.28.2007 RIA
Novosti
|
Abkhazia suggests Russia
set up radar in Sukhum |
Moscow, Sergei Bagapsh, the leader
of the self-proclaimed republic of Abkhazia, has said he proposed to
Russia that it set up a tracking station in Sukhum in response to the
possible deployment of a U.S. missile defense radar in Georgia.
"To put it mildly, Georgia is currently an
unfriendly country to us, and to be frank, it is a country preparing for
a war with Abkhazia," Bagapsh said at a press conference at the Interfax
main office on Wednesday.
03.28.2007 Interfax
|
Russia will be the first
to recognize Abkhazia - Bagapsh |
Moscow, Russia will be the first
country to recognize Abkhazia's independence, Sergei Bagapsh, the
president of this breakaway republic, said.
"You know perfectly well who will
recognize [Abkhazia] - Russia and the countries close to us," Bagapsh
said at a news conference at Interfax in Moscow on Wednesday. "We don't
expect recognition to come soon, taking the opinion of the world
community into account. But the process is underway, which is the main
thing. Recognition by Russia, Belarus and several other countries that
know Abkhazia would suffice at this stage," he said.
"We'll establish relations based on
agreements and then we'll develop them and promote our economy faster,"
Bagapsh said.
03.28.2007 Interfax
|
Kosovo solution to set
precedent for whole world - Bagapsh |
Moscow, The solution to the Kosovo
issue will set a precedent for the former Georgian autonomies of
Abkhazia and South Ossetia and the world as a whole, Abkhaz President
Sergei Bagapsh told a news conference at the Interfax central office in
Moscow on Wednesday.
"It will not be only Abkhazia,
Nagorno-Karabakh, South Ossetia and Transdniestria. More countries will
appear in about a year and a half that will demand the same," he said.
03.28.2007 Interfax
|
Reconnaissance exercise
beings in Abkhazia |
Sukhum, The Defence Ministry, the
Interior Ministry and the State Security Service of Abkhazia are
involved in a joint reconnaissance exercise which started on March 26,
chief of the general staff of the armed forces of the unrecognized
republic General Anatoly Zaitsev told Itar-Tass. According to the
general, the exercise, which will last till March to 29, is being
conducted all over Abkhazia.
As Zaitsev said, the aim of the exercise
is to “drill mobilisation issues, improve habits and knowledge of
commanders of all degrees in organizing and conducting all-round
reconnaissance while the preparation and holding of a defence operation.”
03.26.2007 Itar-Tass
|
Results of parliamentary
election’s second round published in Abkhazia |
According to results of the second round
of parliamentary election in Abkhazia reported by a REGNUM correspondent,
the following candidates have been elected: Talih Hüatysh, Soner
Gogua, Garik Samanba, Rita Lolua, Roman Benia,
Pavel Leshuk, Batal Kobakhia, Guram Gumba, Lev
Shamba, Albert Ovsepyan, Yuri Zukhba, Vyacheslav
Vardaniya, Vezhan Ubiria, Mikhail Sangulia, Amra
Agrba, Valery Bganba, and Lev Avidzba.
To remind, first round of the election was
held March 4. A total of 108 candidates stood the ballot. In the first
round, 18 out of 35 deputies were elected. Second round of the vote was
held in 17 electoral districts of Abkhazia. Voter turnout was 43,2%.
03.19.2007 IA
REGNUM
|
Abkhazians elect national
minorities for parliament |
Tentative results of votes’ count in the
second round of parliamentary election in Abkhazia have been published.
Of 34 candidates that stood the second round, elected are 26 Abkhazians,
three Russians – Valery Kondakov, Pavel Leshuk, and Viktor Vasilyev,
three Armenians – Albert Ovsepyan, Sergei Matosyan, and Valery Mairomyan,
two Georgians – Yuri Kereselidze and Bezhan Ubiria, and one Turk –
Vladimir Nachach-ogly.
Second round of the vote was held in 17
electoral districts of Abkhazia. Voter turnout was 43,2%.
To remind, first round of the election was
held March 4. A total of 108 candidates stood the ballot. In the first
round, 18 out of 35 deputies were elected.
03.19.2007 IA
REGNUM
|
Abkhazia reports blast in
Gal district, refutes link to poll |
Sukhum, Abkhazia said Sunday a
blast in its Gal district was unrelated to repeat parliamentary
elections in the republic.
The Georgian television company Rustavi 2
said Sunday an unidentified explosive device went off at a polling
station in the Gal district.
But the Abkhaz security service said this
information was untrue.
According to the Abkhaz security service,
the explosion occurred at one of the border guard units located in the
Gal district due to the careless handling of arms, as a result of which
one soldier died and several others were injured.
An investigation into the incident has
been launched, the Abkhaz security service said.
Abkhazia holds the second round of
parliamentary elections Sunday.
During the first round held March 4,
Abkhaz residents elected 18 out of the required 35 deputies to the
republic's legislature. In 17 constituencies, none of the candidates
gained the required number of votes.
03.18.2007 RIA
Novosti
|
Abkhazia starts second
round of general elections |
|
Sukhum, Polling stations opened
in 17 constituencies of Abkhazia at 08.00 in the second round of
general elections in the republic.
Eighteen deputies, including six from
the opposition, were elected in the first round which was held on
March 4. However, not a single candidate gained the necessary number
of votes in the remaining 17 constituencies. The runoff will be
contested by two candidates who collected the greatest number of
votes. In compliance with the Abkhazian election law, a candidate
who will win the greatest number of votes, gains the runoff. |
All in all, 108 hopefuls contested 35
seats in the legislature. Polling stations openedat 08.00 and will
close at 20.00. A turnout in the second round of elections is not
important, since it was necessary to hurdle the 25-percent barrier
in the first round. The turnout was 48 percent on March 4, and the
elections were pronounced valid in all the 35 constituencies.
Law enforcement bodies were put on
alert on Election Day to ensure public law and order.
03.18.2007
Itar-Tass
|
|
Abkhazia starts second
round of general elections |
Sukhum, Polling stations opened in
17 constituencies of Abkhazia at 08.00 in the second round of general
elections in the republic.
Eighteen deputies, including six from the
opposition, were elected in the first round which was held on March 4.
However, not a single candidate gained the necessary number of votes in
the remaining 17 constituencies. The runoff will be contested by two
candidates who collected the greatest number of votes. In compliance
with the Abkhazian election law, a candidate who will win the greatest
number of votes, gains the runoff.
All in all, 108 hopefuls contested 35
seats in the legislature. Polling stations opened at 08.00 and will
close at 20.00. A turnout in the second round of elections is not
important, since it was necessary to hurdle the 25-percent barrier in
the first round. The turnout was 48 percent on March 4, and the
elections were pronounced valid in all the 35 constituencies.
Law enforcement bodies were put on alert
on Election Day to ensure public law and order.
03.18.2007
Itar-Tass
|
Russia should recognize
Abkhazia before Georgia joins NATO - Abkhaz official |
Moscow, Russia should be more
determined in recognizing Abkhazia as an independent state before the
South Caucasus nations joined NATO, Abkhaz Foreign Minister Sergei
Shamba said.
"Georgia's accession to NATO would
considerably change the picture in the entire South Caucasus, and
Russia's influence in the region would be dramatically undermined,"
Shamba told Interfax on Saturday.
Azerbaijan will follow Georgia in joining
NATO, and "after that, Armenia will also have to join NATO," Shamba said.
"In this sense, Russia should be quicker today in setting its mind to
recognize Abkhazia, which could become the only buffer state in the
region between Russia and NATO," he said.
03.17.2007
Interfax
|
Abkhazia says Georgian
Press admits violation of 1994 ceasefire agreement |
Sukhum, Abkhazian leadership will
call attention of all mediators in the effort to settle the dragged-out
Georgian-Abkhazian conflict to the fact that Georgian President Mikhail
Saakashvili has admitted a fact of crude violation of the 1994 Moscow
agreement on disengagement of forces and ceasefire, the Abkhazian
government's press spokesman Kristian Bzhania said Friday.
Saakashvili had to admit in a speech in
Georgian parliament Thursday that the July 2006 operation in the upper
part of the Kodor Gorge had engaged units of the Georgian Army rather
than police forces, Bzhania said.
To substantiate his argument, Bzhania
cited Saakashvili's words that the Georgian Army's "tough and brave
actions frustrated the plans of militants in the gorge within just a day
and a half."
"This means the Georgian President has
admitted it was the army that he introduced into the Kodor Gorge last
summer," Bzhania said. "In the light of it, we have grounds to believe
that it was the Georgians themselves who initiated the bombing of their
own population in the Kodor Gorge on the night from March 11 to March
12."
03.16.2007
Itar-Tass
|
Foreign ministers of
Abkhazia, South Ossetia and Transdniestria to convene in Moscow |
Moscow, The foreign ministers of
the republics of Abkhazia, South Ossetia and Transdniestria will convene
in Moscow next week, Abkhaz Foreign Minister Sergei Shamba told Interfax
on Thursday.
"My colleagues and I will meet in Moscow
next week to continue preparations for a tripartite summit," he said.
"This is a regular meeting necessary for
specifying details and drafting the summit agenda," he added.
As for Georgian media reports claiming a
shooting incident in the Upper Kodor Gorge, Shamba said, "I have said
before that Abkhazia has nothing to do with the incident. I am also
convinced that insurgent units of the former presidential representative
in the Kodor Gorge may grow more active as the spring comes."
"These are internal Georgian
disagreements, and we have nothing to do with them," Shamba said.
03.15.2007 Interfax
|
Group Calls for Abkhazia Apology |
Tbilissi, A Tbilisi-based human
rights group announced the launch of a public campaign on March 14 aimed
at repenting, as the group put it, the Georgian side’s mistakes of the
early 90s that led to war in Abkhazia.
The Human Rights Information and
Documentation Centre (HRIDC) said its
campaign, named “Sorry / Hatamzait” (in Abkhazian) is intended “to
bring back trust between the Georgian and Abkhazian people.”
The group stated that Georgian society
should say “sorry for each bullet that was shot and for every word that
caused the war.”
Ucha Nanuahsivli, head of the HRIDC, said
public awareness activities about the Abkhaz culture are planned as part
of the campaign. He also said that he understands the campaign will be
highly controversial in Georgian society.
With over 200000 internally displaced
persons from Abkhazia, the idea of apologizing for the conflict in
Abkhazia is not popular among a large segment of Georgian society.
In its public statements Georgia’s top
leadership, including President Saakashvili, also discourages these
kinds of proposals, calling them a “stance of capitulation.”
03.14.2007
Civil.ge
|
Abkhazia’s Security
Council secretary: Situation in Kodor Gorge was initiated by Georgian
security services |
“We repeatedly warned international
community about the tense military and political situation in the upper
part of Kodor Gorge. No it deteriorated on the eve of parliamentary
elections,” Abkhazia’s Security Council Secretary Stanislav Lakoba told
a REGNUM correspondent commenting on reports of Georgian media about
bombardment of the gorge.
Lakoba noted “it was, probably, not the
first case of bombardment heard there: there are tensions between
military police and local Svan population in Kodor Gorge.” Meanwhile,
the official reminded that ten days ago a wounded Georgian serviceman
was taken out of the gorge with the help of the UN mission and Russian
peacekeepers. “We gave permission for taking him out of there. However,
later the soldier died of serious wounds in Zugdidi hospital in
Georgia,” he said.
Stanislav Lakoba said that the Abkhaz side
registered no aerial targets. “Our aviation did not take off,” he said.
Lakoba believes “the situation worsens in turn now in South Ossetia or
in Abkhazia.” “The situation deteriorated before the parliamentary
elections in Gal District of Abkhazia. On March 18, second voting will
be conducted in the republic: the tension will move to Kodor Gorge,” he
said reminding on behavior of Georgian students on the eve of the
parliamentary elections near the Abkhaz-Georgian border along the Ingur
River.
The Security Council secretary stressed
that such provocations, be it in Gal District or upper part of Kodor
Gorge are initiated by Georgian security services. “It is done in order
not to implement the UN Security Council Resolution. International
community must interfere in the unlimited chaos,” Lakoba said.
Earlier, Georgian media reported that
Kodor Gorge was bombarded last night. As they say, two military
helicopters entered Kodor Gorge from the Russian side and opened fire in
direction of Azhara and Chkhalta villages. According to Rustavi 2
television, houses were destroyed in several villages, including
administration and police offices. One of the shells exploded at a
school yard. The bombardment lasted for about 25 minutes. According to
the company, no casualties are reported, local residents hided in nearby
woods.
03.12.2007 REGNUM
|
Abkhazia describes Kodor
shelling report as provocation |
Sukhum, Abkhazian Defence Minister
Sultan Sosnaliyev has described as a provocation the reports of the
Georgian authorities on the shelling of the upper part of the Kodor
Gorge, controlled by Georgia, from Abkhazia on Sunday night.
“Those reports are at variance with the
real situation,” he told Itar-Tass.
The defence minister of Abkhazia said that
“various incidents – shooting and the like -- take place in the enclave,
in the upper part of the Kodor Gorge, all the time.”
“Neither Abkhazia, nor the Russian
peacekeeping troops have anything to do with it,” Sosnaliyev stressed.
He believes if Georgia were interested in
the stabilisation of the situation in the Kodor Gorge, it would not
oppose the restoration of a Russian peacekeeping post in the village of
Azhara. “Georgia is in the habit of shifting the blame to others,” he
said.
Abkhazia “will have to strengthen its
defences” in the lower part of the Kodor Gorge, which is under its
control, Sosnaliyev stressed.
03.12.2007 Itar-Tass
|
Failure to recognize
Abkhazia vote casts doubt on West's democracy commitment |
The West's commitment to new and emerging
democracies is cast in doubt after its failure to recognize Sunday's
parliamentary elections in Abkhazia. Foreign Minister Sergei Shamba
shrugs off what he sees as unfounded criticism. Along with international
observers, Russia also officially hailed the elections as democratic.
Sukhum, "We couldn't care less,"
was the basic message from Abkhazia to a series of holier-than-thou
press releases from US, EU and NATO officials.
The Western powers had criticized Abkhazia
for organizing the unrecognized country's regularly scheduled March 4
parliamentary elections, but foreign minister Sergei Shamba responded by
saying that "The Abkhazian leadership does not have any deep feelings
about how they responded to the elections."
In an interview with news agency
Itar-Tass, Shamba described the statements by Georgian, US, NATO and EU
officials as "a chorus of protest against the democratic expression of
the Abkhazian people's will."
" - We already heard these kind of
protests after previous elections in Abkhazia. At first, we were
surprised about the Western democracies' refusal to recognize democratic
processes in the country. Now we have just stopped reacting in any way,"
said the foreign minister, hinting at hypocrisy and an obvious double
standard supposedly orchestrated by pro-Georgian officials in
Washington.
" - The top priority for us is free
expression of our people's will. Our people seek to build a democratic
society ruled by law. The March 4 election was another step that took us
closer to that goal," Shamba asserted.
NATO Secretary General Jaap de Hoop
Scheffer said Monday that "NATO does not recognize independent
parliamentary elections in Abkhazia," leading at least one journalist to
publicly wonder: Since when is a military alliance like NATO suddenly in
the business of recognizing civilian elections? NATO has no involvement
in the territorial conflict between Georgia and Abkhazia, and has
repeatedly ruled out providing troops to settle the dispute in a
military way.
International observers hail elections as
democratic
In contrast to the international
community's criticisms, the Speaker of Russia's lower house,
parliamentarian Sergey Baburin, backed the Abkhaz elections and said
that "this a new stage on the way to international recognition of the
republic."
" - The fact that the elections were held
under calm circumstance on the whole territory of Abkhazia, including in
the Georgian-populated Gal district, proves that Abkhazia's authorities
are able to guarantee democratic processes in the country. The electing
of different political forces is also important for the development of
the pluralistic democracy which is what the West is so keen on," Baburin
stated to Apsnypress on March 5, calling on Abkhaz political forces to
seek international recognition of the republic and enhance cooperation
with friendly and understanding neighbors like Russia.
Recent parliamentary elections in Abkhazia
were a continuation of its democratic traditions, an official spokesman
for the Russian Foreign Ministry said Tuesday.
Mikhail Kamynin said international
observers characterized the elections as well organized.
" - This is a continuation of [the
republic's] democratic traditions, which emerged during the recent
elections to local bodies in Abkhazia," he said.
" - As for the question of whether to
support or not support the Abkhazian elections, which foreign partners
are placing an emphasis on, in the current conditions it is a matter and
the responsibility of local citizens," he said.
" - The expression of the people's will
... cannot be an obstacle to international efforts toward reaching a
just and lasting settlement of the Georgian-Abkhazian conflict," he
said.
On March 4, a first round of parliamentary
elections was held in Abkhazia, with some 50% of the parliament's
members elected. The second round will take place in two weeks in 17 of
35 single-seat constituencies. A total of 108 candidates ran for 35
seats in the legislature, and the election turnout was some 50%.
Four MPs from Pridnestrovie who
participated in the election along with teams of international observers
from 12 countries returned to Tiraspol Wednesday. They declared that
elections had been free and fair, and held without any reported
irregularities. An ethnically Georgian minority which lives within the
borders of Abkhazia also participated, and helped elect their own
representatives to the country's new multi-ethnic parliament.
03.07.2007 The Tiraspol Times
|
Russia hails
parliamentary elections in Abkhazia as democratic |
Moscow, Recent parliamentary
elections in Abkhazia were a continuation of the region's democratic
traditions, an official spokesman for the Russian Foreign Ministry said
Tuesday.
On March 4, a first round of parliamentary
elections was held in Abkhazia, with some 50% of the parliament's
members elected. The second round will take place in two weeks in 17 of
35 single-seat constituencies.
A total of 108 candidates ran for 35 seats
in the legislature, and the election turnout was some 50%.
Mikhail Kamynin said international
observers characterized the elections as well organized.
"This is a continuation of [the
republic's] democratic traditions, which emerged during the recent
elections to local bodies in Abkhazia," he said.
He said the parliamentary elections would
not hamper "international efforts to reach a just and long-term
resolution of the Georgia-Abkhazia conflict."
03.06.2007 RIA Novosti
|
Abkhazia ‘unemotional’
about Western response to parlt polls - FM |
Sukhum, The Abkhazian leadership
experiences no emotions about the way the United States, the European
Union, NATO and Georgia have responded to last Sunday’s parliamentary
elections, the foreign minister of Abkhazia, Sergei Shamba, said on
Tuesday.
He described statements by Georgia and US,
NATO and EU officials they did not recognize the elections as “a chorus
of protest to the democratic expression of the Abkhazian people’s will.”
“We heard such protests after each
previous election in Abkhazia. At first we felt surprise over the
Western democracies’ refusal to recognize democratic processes. We have
now stopped to react to this in any way,” Shamba said. “The top priority
for us is free expression of our people’s will. Our people seek to build
a democratic society ruled by law. The March 4 elections was another
step that took us closer to that goal.”
International observers from twelve
countries who monitored the parliamentary elections in Abkhazia said the
election campaign and the voting were in compliance with all
internationally recognized legal norms.
03.06.2007
Itar-Tass
|
Repeated voting to be
held in half of Abkhazia constituencies |
Sukhum, Repeated voting at the
elections to the People’s Assembly (parliament) of Abkhazia will be held
in 17 out of 35 constituencies of Abkhazia, Batal Tapagua, head of the
Central Electoral Commission, said at a press conference in the
international press centre on Monday.
According to his information, 18 deputies
to the People’s Assembly have been elected. The average turnout at the
elections was 47.25 per cent.
All the polling stations were closed in
due time – at 20.00, Moscow time, he continued. Preliminary results were
summed up by 04.00. The processing of ballot papers is going on now.
According to Tapagua, the repeated voting
will take place in two weeks. The candidates may start their electoral
campaign on Monday. During the repeated voting the candidate, who gets
the greatest number of votes, will be the winner.
No serious complaints came from the
candidates to the electoral commission, and those that did come were
settled right away, and decisions were made at once, he said.
The head of the Central Electoral
Commission is pleased with the work of the observers representing the
candidates. He expressed special gratitude to the police. There were no
incidents on the day of the voting and afterwards.
03.05.2007
Itar-Tass
|
Did Georgia forget to
tell European Parliament about Abkhazia? |
“Recently, Georgia conducted its
presentation at the European Parliament,” European Parliament Member
Sylwester Chruszcz announced at the International Press Center in
Sukhum (Abkhazia). “And we heard not a word about Abkhazia. I believe,
without it we cannot say that the European Parliament received full
information on the situation in the region,” the European MP said.
“Abkhazians are a very hospitable nation;
I am sure when the situation improves, your tourist industry will
develop freely,” Chruszcz supposes. Reporters reminded to the Polish MP,
that under the Soviet times, Polish citizens were frequent guests at
Abkhaz resorts. After a meeting with members of Polish community, he
said that he ascertained that rights of ethnic Poles are observed in
Abkhazia.
03.05.2007 REGNUM
|
Observer from Belgium
perplexed why double-standard policy is applied to Abkhazia |
“We do not understand that a double
standard policy is applied towards Abkhazia,” international observer
from Belgium Luc Michel announced at a news conference at the
International Press Center in Sukhum. A REGNUM correspondent quotes the
observer as saying that these are first elections in Abkhazia’s history
that international observers visited. “The first impression is the
bloody trace of war, destroyed buildings and monuments to historical and
cultural heritage,” he said adding that “you were fighting for your
originality, independence and this should be respected.”
“You have a very democratic country. And
we are persuaded in it. Information that Georgia brings to international
community does not reflect the real situation,” Michel noted.
03.05.2007
REGNUM
|
Russian MP: Elections in
Abkhazia are another step for recognizing independence |
“Abkhazia succeeded in fulfilling itself
as a state. The
elections to the country’s highest legislative body held on March 4
have shown it,” international observer, Member of the Russian State Duma
Viktor Nefedov announced at a news conference at the
International Press Center in Sukhum.
“It is just another step towards
recognition of the independence,” he said.
03.05.2007 REGNUM
|
Turnout at parliamentary
elections in Abkhazia is 50% |
Turnout at the parliamentary elections in
Abkhazia held on Sunday was 50%. “These are preliminary reports, but,
nevertheless, one can surely say the turnout is enough to declare the
elections valid,” Head of the Abkhaz Central Election Commission Batal
Tapagua told a REGNUM correspondent.
03.05.2007
REGNUM
|
Abkhazia voting calm and
democratic, MPs say |
Four election observers from
Pridnestrovie's parliament said that Abkhazia's parliamentary election
was held in a peaceful and democratic atmosphere. Twelve political
parties competed for votes Sunday. 84 international observers monitored
the poll.
Sukhum, Residents of Abkhazia went
to the polls Sunday to vote for parliament in elections that the
unrecognized country's president said should boost Abkhazia's bid for
international recognition. 12 parties competed, with voting taking place
in a calm and peaceful atmosphere with no violent incidents or
disruptions of any kind. With 130,000 eligible voters, final turnout was
nearly 48 percent, the Central Elections Commission said.
A total of 84 international observers were
part of election monitoring missions from Russia, Belgium, France,
Italy, Poland, Jordan, Germany, Armenia, Ukraine, Moldova,
Pridnestrovie, South Ossetia and the Turkish Republic of Northern
Cyprus. Georgia boycotted the elections and refused to send observers,
calling the voting "illegal" since it was not organized by Georgia's
authorities.
" - The situation was calm and voters went
to the poll in a peaceful, democratic atmosphere," said Oleg Gudymo, the
spokesman for four Pridnestrovie MPs who participated as election
observers. A rumor of an explosive device in a polling station was later
deemed to be a hoax, and voting was not suspended there or in any other
district.
12 parties and a vibrant opposition
More than a hundred candidates from twelve
different political parties competed for 35 parliament seats, and
President Sergei Bagapsh said the pluralism bolsters Abkhazia's campaign
for legitimacy.
" - World society should understand that
we have not simply declared the principles of democracy, but that we
live in a society where we have brought in the democracy aspired to by
all people," Bagapsh said.
All sides are in favor of continuing
Akbkazia's de facto independence and reject unification with Georgia
under any circumstances, but have their differences over domestic
policy. The vibrant and active opposition is hoping to use parliament as
an arena with which to challenge the president.
" - If in the opposition gets control of
the next parliament, it’s quite possible that they will use the support
of several independent deputies to raise the question of bringing in
constitutional amendments that will redistribute power between the
executive and the legislature in favor of parliament," said Tamaz
Ketsba, who heads the non-governmental organization Civic Initiative and
Person of the Future in Abkhazia.
In Pridnestrovie, the opposition party
Renewal won an absolute majority in the Tiraspol based parliament in
parliamentary elections in December 2005. The government respected the
outcome of the democratic vote, and Renewal-leader Yevgeny Shevchuk, an
energetic 38 year old lawyer, became Speaker of parliament in early
2006. He has since used the opposition controlled parliament to launch
reform initiatives challenging the power of President Igor Smirnov, a
former political prisoner.
Abkhazia, which incorporates both the
subtropical Black Sea coastal region and snowy mountain peaks, has been
a popular tourist destination since Soviet times. However, an unresolved
territorial claim by Georgia and threats of a renewed Georgian invasion
has caused tourism to drop precipitously, leading to unemployment and
economic hardship for many residents. Georgian President Mikhail
Saakashvili has vowed to bring Abkhazia under his control, despite the
will of most residents and all of Abkhazia's major political parties.
Foreign Minister: "We meet modern European
standards"
Abkhazia's independence is only recognized
by other non-recognized countries, such as Pridnestrovie, which itself
declared independence in the break-up of the Soviet Union but has not
yet been internationally recognized as a sovereign, independent state.
It is also known under unofficial names such as Transdniester,
Transnistria and Trans-Dniestria, all referring to the Dniester River
which for throughout history traditionally has been an international
border separting the small nation of 555,000 people from its larger
neighbor, Moldova.
Seeking international recognition, the
Abkhaz's Foreign Minister, Sergei Shamba, told the BBC on Sunday that he
was confident that this would be achieved. While international
organizations and a number of governments privately admit that Abkhazia
is in many ways more democratic than neighboring Georgia, they can not
declare so publicly for political reasons.
" - International organisations and states
are not yet able to recognize our elections because this would also mean
recognition of our state," BBC reported Shamba as saying. "But our
objective is to show everyone that we meet modern European standards,"
continued the Foreign Minister.
As he cast his vote, Abkhazia's President
Sergei Bagapsh said the elections were being held in a state where there
was both an opposition and a free press.
Officials in the capital, Sukhum, hope the
polls will demonstrate Abkhazia has the potential to become an
independent democratic country.
Georgia can't turn back the clock
In Sukhum, which still bears the scars of
the war more than a decade ago, voters echoed their President's views
and said there should be no return to violence.
" - I think this new government should
bring peace and stability to Abkhazia because we're a country that
survived such a tough war," BBC reported one female voter as saying.
Others said that for Abkhazia's future, it is really important for it to
become a sovereign democratic state.
" - It is very important because these
elections will mean that Abkhazia is a self-reliant republic," another
woman said. "For me personally, as an ordinary citizen, it means I have
the right to come and make my own choice."
The Georgian government has denounced the
democratic election. It says Abkhazia must be a part of Georgia, but
many in the international community agree that its territorial claim has
little basis in today's actual reality, and that Georgia has been unable
to enforce its sovereignty on Abkhazia for most of the past two decades.
" - A joint union state at this late
stage would simply turn back the clock," a German diplomat said. "At
this point in time, I can't see it happening. It would disregard the
current reality on the ground. I know that Georgia's Mikhail Saakashvili
is forced to say that to keep his own voters happy, but the
international community does not have those constraints."
(With information from
Focus, AP, IWPR)
03.05.2007 The Tiraspol Times
|
Three Georgian
saboteurs arrested in Abkhazia |
Sukhum,
Three Georgian nationals, arrested on Thursday during the crossing of
the Ingur River, on the border with Abkhazia, in the Gal District, have
publicly confessed that their actions were aimed at disrupting the
parliamentary elections in Abkhazia, which are scheduled for March 4.
Criminal proceedings were instituted on the case, Vladimir Arlan, a
representative of the Abkhazian Security Service, told Itar-Tass.
The detainees gave evidence on Friday in
the presence of Vladlen Stefanov, head of the U.N. human rights office
in Sukhum, as well as journalists. Levan Gochava, Iver Korshia and Koba
Rigvava said they were students of the Dzhavakhishvili University in
Zugdidi, and members of the organisation entitled “New Generation of
Free Georgia.” It is Gela Toloraya, the head of the organisation, who
masterminded the operation.
According to the plan, the young men were
to cross the border with Abkhazia, to put on masks and to return to the
village of Shamgona, where Georgian TV groups would be waiting for them.
Gochava, Korshia and Rigvava were to announce on behalf of residents of
the Gal District, that they had been forced to take part in the voting
at the parliamentary elections in Abkhazia. They were to explain their
wearing of masks by the fear of “repressions on the part of the Sukhum
authorities.”
03.02.2007
Itar-Tass
|
Pridnestrovie MPs to
monitor Abkhazia vote as election observers |
Sukhum, A total of 119 candidates
will be running for 35 seats in the Abkhaz Parliament this Sunday: The
elections to the National Assembly of the Republic of Abkhazia are
scheduled for March 4, 2007. More than 100 international election
observers will follow the vote, with four MPs from Pridnestrovie being
part of a monitoring delegation.
Abkhazia, located to the northwest of the
Republic of Georgia, wants full independence and international
recognition. Elections will be held based on the majoritarian system in
35 single-mandate constituencies.
Georgian media sources are reporting that
the upcoming elections are marked by confrontation between supporters of
Abkhaz leader Sergey Bagapsh and Vice-President Raul Hajymba – old
rivals who contested for the presidency in 2004 elections. A
power-sharing agreement between the two men in December 2004 put an end
to a two-month standoff that was triggered after the disputed
presidential elections. But a wide spectrum of opposition groups and
candidates, from left to right, are entering the fray and making their
voices heard.
Pridnestrovie’s delegation composing of 4
parliamentarians will participate in the parliamentary elections to the
National Assembly of Abkhazia as observers within the framework of
interparliamentary cooperation between Abkhazia and Pridnestrovie. The
decision was taken by the Parliamentary Presidium at a Wednesday meeting
in the unrecognized country, which is also known as Transnistria and
Transdnestr. The members of Pridnestrovie's parliamentary delegation to
Abkhazia are Special Parliamentary Envoy for interparliamentary
relations Grigory Marakutsa, Chairperson of the Committee for industry,
agrarian policy and natural resources Efim Koval, Chairperson of the
Committee for public associations, youth policy, sport and the media
Vyacheslav Tobukh and Chairperson of the Committee for security, defence
and peacekeeping activity Oleg Gudymo.
International election observers are
expected from a dozen countries around the world, including leading
election monitoring missions made up of NGOs from Italy, Germany, France
and several other European countries.
Opposition parties with strong following
In Abkhazia, just like in Pridnestrovie,
the vast majority of the opposition coincides with the government on the
main goal: Independence. But beyond that, everything else is up for
debate. And in Abkhazia, a strong opposition has been slamming the
government in the run-up to the election.
A group of Abkhaz opposition MP candidates
have unleashed criticism of Abkhaz leader Sergey Bagapsh for interfering
in their election campaign and hence violating election code of the
unrecognized republic, Abkhaz news agency Apsnipress reported on
February 26.
19 opposition MP candidates running in the
Abkhaz parliamentary elections scheduled for March 4 argue that Sergey
Bagapsh intervened in the election campaign by criticizing several
opposition MP candidates during a televised Q&A session on February 23.
During the televised press conference,
Bagapsh launched into heavy criticism of opposition MP candidate
Vladimir Arshba. Arshba is an opposition MP candidate running in one of
Sukhum’s single-mandate constituencies, and is seeen by his followers as
a potential future presidential contender.
The main political movements competing
will be United Abkhazia, Aitara (Revival), Amtsakhara (Signal Light) and
others who support the Abkhaz president. They will have to compete with
"Forum for National Unity," a broadbased opposition movement under which
the followers of VP Raul Hajymba are united. The Abkhaz Communist Party,
another opposition party, will also take part in parliamentary
elections.
Disinformation from Georgia
Predictably, Georgia has called the
elections 'illegal' - since they are not held by Georgia's election
authorities - and has refused to send observers. Georgia, which pursues
an old territorial claim on Abkhazia, will not recognize the result.
Instead, Georgia issued a statement yesterday claiming that the election
will be chaotic and that fighting has broken out between political
opponents. No such evidence exists and Abkhazia dismisses it as a feeble
attempt at Georgian disinformation:
" - Abkhazia is not Georgia, where
politicians fight against each other using wild methods and get poisoned
in rented apartments," commented a representative of the president of
Abkhazia on the information spread in Georgian media, according to which
an armed attack had taken place among the backers of Baghapsh and
Hajymba.
" - We understand irritation of Georgian
side. Abkhazia, unlike Georgia, is a civilized country and relevantly
the debates among the candidates for presidential elections are
conducted constructively," stated Christian Bzhania, head of the press
office of the president of Abkhazia.
The peoples of Abkhazia and Georgia are
different ethnically and linguistically. Georgians value freedom and
independence very highly, and so do the Abkhazians. They have very
little in common, besides a mutual wish for independence and freedom.
Much the same is true in Moldova and
Pridnestrovie. Moldova (with 75% ethnic Moldovans) is a country which
predominantly speaks Moldovan, identical to Romanian. In contrast,
Pridnestrovie (where Moldovans make up just over 30%), is majority
Slavic and most of the population speaks Russian. With a different
historical past, the two sides of the Dniester river have never
co-existed as a joined, independent country at any time in history. The
Dniester river has traditionally been an international border.
Having been de facto independent for
nearly seventeen years, it is hard to see how anyone in Pridnestrovie
can be forced to turn back the clock. Like their counterparts in
Abkhazia, they look towards a future where they will be welcomed as full
and worthy members of the international community, collaborating for
stronger peace, democracy, human rights and security in the region.
If the opposition takes control of
parliament, Abkhazia will find itself in a situation similar to
Pridnestrovie: In Tiraspol, the Supreme Council - PMR's parliament - is
dominated by members of the opposition party "Renewal", headed by
38-year old lawyer Yevgeny Shevchuk who became Speaker after the
opposition won a surprise majority in December 2005. The Republican
Party and other backers of incumbent president Igor Smirnov are now in a
minority in parliament.
Participating in Sunday's vote in
Abkhazia, the observers include representatives of parliaments and civil
society organizations from Italy, Poland, France, Belgium, Germany,
Northern Cyprus, Western Sahara, Jordan, Armenia, Moldova, Ukraine,
Russia and other countries. Following their work, the teams of
international observers will issue a joint statement for European mass
media and international organizations.
03.01.2007
Tiraspol Times
|
Abkhazia will not
discuss replacement of Russian peacekeepers- Bagapsh |
Sukhum, Abkhazia opposes the
replacement of Russian peacekeepers in the Georgian-Abkhaz conflict zone
with servicemen from other countries.
"We categorically oppose the Russian
peacekeepers' replacement with Ukrainian peacekeepers or with servicemen
from any other country," Abkhaz President Sergei Bagapsh told Interfax
on Thursday.
Earlier, Georgian officials announced that
the question of Ukrainian servicemen's participation in the peacekeeping
mission in Abkhazia would be discussed during a forthcoming
Georgian-Ukrainian summit.
03.01.2007
Interfax
|
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