APPEAL OF THE PEOPLE’S ASSEMBLY-PARLIAMENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF ABKHAZIA TO THE COUNCIL OF FEDERATION AND THE STATE DUMA OF THE FEDERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION, RESPECTED SENATORS OF THE COUNCIL OF FEDERATION AND MEMBERS OF THE STATE DUMA

The people and the government of the Republic of Abkhazia have more than once expressed their aspiration to establish associated relations between the Republic of Abkhazia and the Russian Federation. The National Assembly of the Republic of Abkhazia supports this initiative as well.

Today, Abkhazia is a de facto and de jure independent state. Abkhazia broke all state and legal relations with Georgia before the dissolution of the USSR. After Z.Gamsakhurdia came to power in Georgia in the end of 1990, the Supreme Council of the Republic of Georgia announced a transitional period for the restoration of the state independence of Georgia. A referendum for the restoration of the independence of Georgia was held on February 28, 1991, based on the Act of Independence of May 26, 1918, actually standing for Georgia’s withdrawal from the USSR.

In compliance with the Law of the USSR on the Procedure of Withdrawal of a Union Republic from the USSR of April 3, 1990, autonomous republics had the right to make independent decisions on their further participation in the USSR and their national status in case of a republic’s withdrawal from the Union. According to this regulation, Abkhazia participated in the referendum of March 17, 1991, during which a majority of its population voted for the preservation of the Union. The results of the referendum in the ASSR of Abkhazia were officially confirmed by the Central Referendum Commission of the USSR. Georgia, declaring its intention to build an independent state, did not participate in the referendum. Abkhazia in its turn did not participate in the referendum on the restoration of the independence of Georgia on March 31, 1991.

On April 9, 1991, based on the results of the referendum of March 31, the Supreme Council of Georgia adopted the Act of Restoration of the State Independence of Georgia, which proclaimed Georgia as the legal successor of the Democratic Republic of Georgia of 1918-1921. This gave the origin to two independent states on the territory of the former Georgian SSR: Georgia, which declared independence from the USSR, and Abkhazia, which remained the subject of the Soviet Union. Hence, state and legal relations between Abkhazia and Georgia, based on and regulated by the Soviet legislation, were severed based on the same legislation.

Thus, by the moment of the dissolution of the USSR Abkhazia was its entity, therefore the recognition of territorial integrity of Georgia within the borders of the former Georgian SSR has no legal grounds. Prior to Georgia’s admission to the UN, V.Ardzinba, Chairman of the Supreme Council of Abkhazia, wrote a letter to the UN Secretary-General informing him about the lack of state and legal relations between Abkhazia and Georgia and notifying him that Georgia’s admission to the UN within the borders of the former Georgian USSR was not justified. This information, however, was disregarded, which actually gave Georgia the opportunity to start the armed aggression against Abkhazia.

After the end of the war, the Abkhaz and Georgian sides signed the Statement on Measures for Political Settlement of the Georgian-Abkhaz Conflict. The document, signed April 4, 1994 through the mediation of the UN and the Russian Federation and with participation of the CSCE, confirmed the lack of any state and legal relations between Abkhazia and Georgia.

Thus, being an independent state, the Republic of Abkhazia has the right to enter into contractual relationship with other states.

We consider Russia the sole guarantor of security and economic welfare of Abkhazia. This is why, on March 1, 2002, the President of the Republic of Abkhazia appealed to the President of the Russian Federation and the leaderships of the both Houses of the Federal Council of Russia with the request to consider the possibility of establishing associated relations between the Republic of Abkhazia and Russia, which in fact would mean legalization of the Russian patronage over Abkhazia.

Such a model does not require introduction of amendments into the Constitutions of the Russian Federation and the Republic of Abkhazia and can be based on an Agreement, which in our opinion can be founded on the following criteria:

1. The Republic of Abkhazia pursues foreign policy coordinated with and not contradicting to the interests of the Russian Federation. Based on a mutual agreement, the Russian Federation implements the international representation of the Republic of Abkhazia and provides consular services to citizens of Abkhazia. The Russian Federation helps the Republic of Abkhazia to become a member of international organizations.

2. The Republic of Abkhazia allows Russia to station its military bases on its territory and pledges not to conclude any agreement on military and also military and technical cooperation with third states. Russia in its turn protects the territory of Abkhazia together with its own territory.

3. The Republic of Abkhazia protects its borders jointly with the Russian Federation.

4. The Republic of Abkhazia forms a monetary and customs alliance with the Russian Federation.

5. The process of harmonization of the legal system of the Republic of Abkhazia with that of the Russian Federation is underway.

The People’s Assembly of the Republic of Abkhazia calls on the Council of Federation and the State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation for supporting the idea of establishment of associated relations between the Republic of Abkhazia and the Russian Federation. The government of Abkhazia is ready to immediately start the work on the corresponding Agreement.

People’s Assembly of the Republic of Abkhazia

Sukhum, 18 March 2003

(Respublika Abkhazia, #28, 20 - 21 March 2003)