EXTRACT FROM THE RESOLUTION ADOPTED BY THE  ABKHAZ PEOPLE’S COUNCIL on negotiations on relations with the Democratic Republic of Georgia

2 June 1918

Since collapse of the Trans-Caucasus Federative Republic and declaring the independence of Georgia, Abkhazia has lost the legal ground for relation with Georgia.  The detachment of the Trans-Caucasus Red Guardia, which, being outside of its own country, currently acts as the troop of Georgia, but the whole power practically is in its hands.  On June 2 of this year the  Abkhaz People’s Council decided: due to the established situation the People’s Council takes the whole power within Abkhazia.  Taking into account the fact, that vital important interests of Abkhazia and Georgia dictate to both sides to have close collaboration in arranging the state power in Abkhazia, as well as in Georgia without any violation of the people’s rights from the side of neighbours.  Proceeding from the aforementioned the People’s Council decrees: to submit the friendly application to the National Council of Georgia on assistance in organizing the state power in Abkhazia retaining the Red Guardia Detachment in Sukhumi    

As for the decrees of the Georgian Government issued on the territory of Abkhazia on administrating the justice on behalf of Georgia and the Decree on Mobilization, as a matter of fact they may lay ground to tension between two people and jeopardize the best interests of Georgia and Abkhazia.  The  Abkhaz People’s Council believes that the Government of the Republic of Georgia will abolish the aforementioned Decrees and refrain from the similar acts in a future.

In order to clear out these issues with the Government of the Republic of Georgia, the  Abkhaz People’s Council sends the following representatives to Tbilisi: the engineer R. I. Kakubava and its delegates being currently in Tbilisi V. G. Gurjua, G. D. Ajamov, G. D. Tumanov and empowers them with the right to hold the negotiations.

(Ruslan Khodjaa, Documents and Materials of the  Abkhaz People’s Council 1918-1919. Sukhum, 1999, p. 7-8/in Russian)