Abkhazia To Ask Russia To Recognize Independence - Official
Wednesday August 20th, 2008 / 10h52
(Adds reaction from Georgia and background) SUKHUMI, Georgia (AFP)--Georgia's separatist region of Abkhazia is to launch a formal appeal Wednesday for Russia to recognize it as an independent state, the deputy speaker of Abkhazia's parliament said, in a move likely to infuriate Tbilisi. "The people of Abkhazia intend to ask the Russian leadership to recognize Abkhazia," said Vyacheslav Tsugba. Abkhazia's parliament will consider a call Wednesday by the region's leader Sergei Bagapsh for Russia to recognize its independence, Tsugba said. An assembly of political parties and movements will meet Thursday in the Sukhumi to make the appeal official, he said. Russia has said that in the wake of Georgia's Aug. 7 attack on South Ossetia, another breakaway region, neither it nor Abkhazia can remain part of Georgia. Both regions have enjoyed de facto independence since breaking from Tbilisi in wars in the early 1990s, but no country has given them formal diplomatic recognition. Any move toward formal independence would likely meet a furious response from Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili, who came to power promising to take both regions back under Tbilisi's control. Georgian Reintegration Minister Temur Yakobashvili, Tbilisi's top official for dealing with the separatist regions, dismissed the appeal as meaningless. "Let them do whatever they want. It's the police who must deal with people like the leaders of separatists in Abkhazia, not me," Yakobashvili told AFP. Russia's upper house, the Federation Council, will meet in emergency session Monday to discuss recognizing the two regions' independence, its deputy speaker said, quoted by Russian state news agency RIA Novosti. "On Aug. 25 we will meet in an emergency session to discuss the question," it quoted Svetlana Orlova as saying. The chamber's speaker, close Kremlin ally Sergei Mironov, said lawmakers were ready to recognize the independence of both regions "if there is a corresponding decision by the Russian president," Interfax news agency reported. Russian officials have cited Kosovo's declaration of independence from Serbia in February as setting a precedent for the Georgian regions. The Ossetians say they want to become part of Russia, while the Abkhaz are seeking independence. Both rebel governments have had years of support and financing from Moscow. Abkhazia has made repeated appeals for the international community to recognize its independence. Georgia insists that no decision on the status of Abkhazia can be made until the return of more than 200,000 ethnic Georgians, who used to form the majority population in Abkhazia but fled the region to escape violence. Click here to go to Dow Jones NewsPlus, a web front page of today's most important business and market news, analysis and commentary: http://www.djnewsplus.com/al?rnd=17jN%2BY%2BLk7RqyXnxJNeFvw%3D%3D. You can use this link on the day this article is published and the following day.
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