STATEMENT OF THE PARLIAMENT OF GEORGIA

The Sukhumi regime has made a decision to conduct elections of the so called Public Congress - the Parliament of Republic of Abkhazia - on November 24, 2001.

Despite the fact that the world community has many times expressed its position regarding recognition as null and void of any elections that are conducted in the absence of 2/3 of population, who are being persecuted at present, the Sukhumi regime still goes on with ignoring of opinions and assessments of the UN. They try, in order to endorse their own legitimacy, to legalize the forcefully changed demographic situation in Abkhazia, not to admit the refugees to native places, to consider the issue of so called independence as solved and to ignore the lawful interests of hundreds of thousands of persons.

The next elections of so called Parliament is one more attempt of Sukhumi regime to disregard the results of the ethnic cleansing of Georgians in Abkhazia that were officially recognized at the Budapest (1994), Lisbon (1996) and Istanbul (1999) Summits of the OSCE.

The Parliament of Georgia expresses it belief that the above-mentioned illegal elections will not be left without the reaction from the world community. At the same time, the Sukhumi regime should, start in accordance with norms of international law, the process for the secure return of refugees and to take into consideration the demand of the world's leading states to start the dialogue on the status of Abkhazia.

The Parliament of Georgia draws the attention of political parties, functioning on the territory of Abkhazia, as well as of population, to take into account that the elections without participation of refugees will be followed not only by the negative reaction from the UN member states but will make the results of such elections unlawful and will violate the political rights of persecuted population.

The Parliament of Georgia appeals to the Security Council of the UN, to raise the issue of the unacceptable current situation and necessity to implement the appropriate steps in the current conflict settlement in Abkhazia.

The Parliament of Georgia considers it necessary that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Georgia will make an official statement, addressed to the Security Council of the UN, the OSCE, Group of Countries-Friends of the UN Secretary-General on the Georgian issues and leaders of the CIS countries.

Tbilisi, September 27, 2001

(Archive of the Parliament of Georgia)