Abkhazia calls for change of Geneva talks' format

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Foreign ministry of breakaway Abkhazia released a statement on November 19 which reads that Abkhazian government insists on change of existing format of the Geneva talks, launched after the August 2008 war, with a purpose to upgrade status of its negotiators from “participants” to “delegations.”

“We deem Geneva Discussions to be an important format for conveying position of the Abkhaz Republic to the international community. At the same time, existing format of the Geneva Discussions is no longer suitable for us,” reads the statement .
In the same statement the breakaway region’s foreign ministry said that it had “no illusions” about new government in Georgia, which came into power after the October 1 parliamentary elections.

“The Abkhaz leadership has no illusions about “new approaches” towards resolution of “interstate” conflict between Georgia and Abkhazia, which are so vigorously advertised by the newly appointed ministers of the Georgian cabinet,” the statement reads.

“Whatever the promises are made about “de-isolation of Abkhazia”, giving us “everything except recognition”, ‘communicating with the Abkhazians directly”, “opening railway link via Abkhazia”, Georgian strategists have the only goal – to reintegrate Abkhazia by all means. We are quite well-informed to avoid falling into all kinds of political and diplomatic traps, which some would like to place around Abkhazia,” it says.

In response, the Georgian State Minister for Reintegration Paata Zakareishvili stressed that the Georgian side does not put any conditions to the Abkhaz side, and if the conditions are put forward, it will only impede the initiation of the peace process.

"We start the peace process. For us it is crucial to implement it consistently, calmly and quietly, without riots and militaristic or aggressive rhetoric "- Zakareishvili told News.ge, adding that bilateral relations can be formed only with the will of both parties.

"We do not set any pre-conditions for the Abkhaz, and if they do, it means that they will not achieve anything by this,"- says Zakareishvili, stressing that is not going to make any official statements in response to the one by the "foreign ministry" of Abkhazia.