STATEMENT OF THE STATE DUMA OF THE FEDERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION on Appeal of the People’s Assembly – Parliament of the Republic of Abkhazia to the President of the Russian Federation and to the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation about Recognition of the Legitimacy of the Republic of Abkhazia and about Establishment of Associated Relations between the Russian Federation and Republic of Abkhazia

   Having considered Appeal of the People’s Assembly – Parliament of the Republic of Abkhazia to the President of the Russian Federation and to the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation about Recognition of the Independence of the Republic of Abkhazia and about Establishment of Associated Relations between the Russian Federation and Republic of Abkhazia, the State Duma of the Russian Federation notes that Russia has deep historic, political and humanitarian interest in fair settlement of the problems of Abkhaz people with whom the Russian people have been related with longstanding close ties.

   The submitted appeal represents a justified, legally, as well as scientifically and historically elaborated document.

   The Georgian authorities during the entire preceding period have not established civilized mutual relations with authorities and population of Abkhazia and failed to provide for Abkhazia’s political, economic and social rights and its security in accordance with universally recognized principles and norms of International Law. The Georgian officials have many times threatened to solve Georgian-Abkhazian conflict by military force. Georgian authorities have during the recent years have several times increased scale of military preparedness immediately nearby zone of Georgian-Abkazian conflict, which is in contradiction with corresponding international and legal norms. Policy of economic blockade of Abkhazia has been carried out. This year, violating all the existing international and legal norms, Georgian authorities brought in the significant military contingent into Kodori Gorge and even more aggravated the situation in the zone of this conflict.  There have been going on different types of provocation, regarding the military servicemen of Russia’s military contingent, which is temporarily stationed in the zone of Georgian-Abkhazian conflict. All this is creating a threat to the lives and welfare of many thousands of citizens of the Russian Federation and to the Russian compatriots, residing on the territory of Abkhazia.

   The State Duma underlines that the problems of Georgian-Abkhazian conflict should be settled only by means of peaceful negotiations, taking into account the interests of all the stakeholders.

   Georgian authorities during several years have been implementing the policy that led to worsening of Georgian-Russian relations, which have great traditions of friendship and bilaterally beneficial cooperation.

   Responsibility for the formed situation also lies on the Western politicians, who are supporting and encouraging such type of activities of Georgian authorities, supplies of ammunition and armaments to Georgia and are facilitating worsening of Georgia’s relations with Russia that is not in the actual interests of neither Russian, nor Georgian people.

   Inhabitants of Abkhazia under such circumstances were forced to create own independent legislative and executive bodies, law enforcement structure, judiciary, armed forces, providing thus for protection of Human Rights on this territory and own security.

   As a result, territorial integrity of Georgia, recognized by International Community, in accordance with the opinion of Deputies of the State Duma, is in fact violated in many respects due to the course, realized by official Tbilisi.

   Deputies of the State Duma consider that Appeal of the People’s Assembly – Parliament of the Republic of Abkhazia to the President of the Russian Federation and to the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation about Recognition of the Independence of the Republic of Abkhazia and about Establishment of Associated Relations between the Russian Federation and Republic of Abkhazia reflects actual aspirations of population of Abkhazia and must be fully taken into account by International Community for protection of Human Rights, Peace and Security in the region and for the fair settlement of Georgian-Abkhazian conflict.

   Deputies of the State Duma support efforts of the President of the Russian Federation V.V. Putin and of the Government of the Russian Federation for normalization of the situation in Georgian-Abkhazian conflict zone, for provision to inhabitants of Abkhazia access to Russian and world culture, education, for protection of rights of the Russian Federation’s citizens, residing on the territory of Abkhazia.

   Deputies of the State Duma support activities of the President of the Russian Federation V.V. Putin and of the Government of the Russian Federation on provision of stability and security in the entire region and take note of the significance of maintaining Russian Peacekeepers in Georgian-Abkhazian conflict zone in compliance with Moscow Agreement on Ceasefire and Separation of Forces of May 14, 1991 and of necessity to provide for normal functioning of International Peacekeeping Forces.

   December 4, 2006.

(www.duma.ru)