As Georgia holds its breath ahead of tomorrow’s parliamentary elections, politicians in Abkhazia hope that whoever comes to power as a result of these elections will take steps toward resolving the Georgian-Abkhazian conflict peacefully. They categorize all Georgian politicians into those who seek a new war and those willing to compromise to avoid one.
For example, Abkhazian President Aslan Bzhania claims that “Ukraine is trying to expand the geography of participants in the conflict and create an additional belt of instability around Russia.” As for the Georgian authorities—whether the current or new ones—he expects them to show restraint and pragmatism, since “war is not in their interest.”
Abkhazia’s Foreign Minister, Sergei Shamba, believes that “Georgia should refrain from using terms that do not contribute to the normalization of relations.” Specifically, this refers to Georgia’s designation of Abkhazia and South Ossetia as “occupied territories.”
Shamba also stated that Abkhazia’s political status “is not up for discussion,” and the primary concerns for the Abkhazian side remain “the non-resumption of hostilities and the signing of a peace agreement.”
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The Secretary of the Abkhaz Security Council, Raul Lolua, is concerned that “some Georgian politicians are calling for maximum mobilization of the army” and expressing a desire to “fight as fiercely as Ukraine.”
Meanwhile, Abkhazia’s Trade Representative in Russia, Oleg Bartsits, stated that Western politicians are “showing an extreme level of cynicism”:
“Calls by Western officials to open a second front in Georgia resemble the actions of Western leaders in Ukraine. But while Ukraine found a leader willing to sacrifice his people, Georgia has not yet seen such leaders.”
Bartsits hopes that the Georgian authorities “will be able to maintain a national agenda and protect their people from destruction.”
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