APPEAL OF THE SUPREME COUNCIL OF THE REPUBLIC OF ABKHAZIA TO THE SUPREME COUNCIL OF THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION

Today we rather often hear the statement that Russia has certain responsibility regarding the destiny of the nations within its jurisdiction. This correct statement is especially true vis-à-vis Abkhazia: in 1917, at the time of collapse of the Tsar’s ruling, Abkhazia had been within political and cultural boundaries of Russia already for 107 years, where it entered as a separate entity (independent from Georgia) under special Charter issued by the Emperor Alexander I – first (until 1864) as the autonomous princedom, and later – as Sukhumi District under the direct Russian management.

During the bloody Caucasus War, which took the life of thousands of Russian and Caucasus peoples, also had the cruel result, namely – forced exile of the part of mountain people to Turkey. In 40s-70s of XIX century the vast majority of the Abkhazs found themselves outside of their historical homeland. Tens of different nationals had been settled on the abandoned land of Abkhazia, first of all – Georgians.

After the Revolution of 1917, having experienced the period of Georgian occupation (1918-1920), in March of 1921 Abkhazia gained the status of the independent republic, which it lost in 1931 and became the “autonomous republic” within the unitary Republic of Georgia. It happened owing to Stalin’s and Beria’s initiative. Since then the Government of Georgia has exercised the policy of assimilation and suppression of the Abkhaz and other non-Georgian nations (Russians, Armenians, Greeks, Estonians, Germen, Jews and others) residing in the region.

Dissolution of the USSR, abolishment of all Treaties and Constitutions regulating the countries made Georgia free to go back to the Constitution of 1921. Illegitimate Government of Shevardnadze started realizing the major goal – to create mono-ethnic state on the territory of the Georgian SSR. In the established circumstances the Abkhazs fail to protect from the external military aggression their statehood, counting 12 centuries of existence, and the multinational population of Abkhazia. Upon the initiative of the Georgian leadership illegal armed formations and military bases have been established on the territory of Abkhazia. They delivered arms and ammunitions, organized subversive acts, tried to set up parallel structures of state authority, unleashed informational campaign against the parliament and the government of Abkhazia, carried out intensive preparation to set up some structures of the State Council in our Republic. Everybody noted that the Georgian leaders wanted to solve once and forever “the Abkhaz issue” through the forcible measures.

Our fears have become evident: the military formations subordinated to the State Council unleashed the armed aggression, brutally annihilating the people of Abkhazia. This action is in accord with the statement made by Shevardnadze a few days ago. He declared that he would establish the order with the iron hands – from the River Psou (near Sochi) to Kazbegi. The defenders of the capital city of Abkhazia are killed by aggressors firing from the large caliber machine-guns. The military helicopters assist the infantry attacking the house of the Supreme Council of Abkhazia and the peaceful population. For quite a long time Abkhazia has tried to establish with Georgia the relation similar to the relation that Russia established with its former autonomous entities. Moreover, the session of the Supreme Council of the Republic of Abkhazia had to be held on 14 August. Discussion of the draft-agreement on relations between two republics was included in the agenda. However, the armed aggression conducted by the troops of the State Council disrupted the session.

Being guided by the interests of the multinational population of Abkhazia; striving to put an end to the bloody developments resulted in tens of casualties, but the number of casualties may reach hundreds and even thousands of innocent people of all nationalities; realizing that in such situation only the third party – Russia – may save the people of Abkhazia from annihilation and enslavement, as it is the legal successor of the USSR, and 180 years ago Russia offered to Abkhazia its “patronage and protection”; having desire to use even the smallest chance for the sake of welfare of these people – we make an appeal with the urgent request to consider the following issues:

1. Recognition of Georgia by Russia as the unitary state within the Stalin-Beria’s borders of former Georgian SSR without taking into account the historical, geographical, economic and political causes of notorious Abkhaz “separatism” and of their compatriots of other ethnic origins emerged the new crimes against humanity, like the crimes committed in South Ossetia. It is important to realize: Abkhazia is not Georgia.

2. Application of violent measures in Georgian-Abkhaz relations deprives Russia from the moral right to remain aside from the talks between Georgia and Abkhazia. Russia, as a legal successor of the Russian Empire and of the USSR, shall play the role of guarantor of the sovereignty of Abkhazia and security of its population.

3. Russia’s refusal to play the role - determined for her not only on account on the status of a great power, but also as obligations before the Abkhaz nation and 220 thousand Russian speaking residents of the region oriented to the Russian culture and Russian language – would mean that in addition to the fraternal nations of the North-Caucasus (Adygei and Abazin) half of million of the Abkhazs and about 3 million of the Adygei residing in Turkey will become the guarantors for the survival of Abkhaz people.

4. It is important to realize that Russia’s diplomacy made the biggest mistake through encouraging Georgia’s acceptance to the UN before they have become free from the “syndrome of a small empire”, as it was rightly mentioned by academician A.D. Sakharov.

The situation is critical in Abkhazia. Only the support from Russia and from other states of the world may put an end to the massacre in this beautiful part of the Caucasus.

The present appeal is written in the tragic time of our history and addressed to the Parliament of Russia. We would like to end it with the following words: if not you – who else? If not now – then when?

Chairman of the Supreme Council of the Republic of Abkhazia V. Ardzinba

Gudauta, 16 August 1992

(Conflicts in Abkhazia and South Ossetia. Documents 1989-2006 (Supplement to “Kavkazskie Sborniki”, edition #1). Collected and commented by M. A. Volkhonski, B. A. Zakharov, N. Y. Silaev. – Moscow, 2008, p. 150-152/in Russian)