APPEAL OF THE PEOPLE’S
ASSEMBLY-PARLIAMENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF
ABKHAZIA TO THE PRESIDENT OF THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION
V. V. PUTIN
Dear Vladimir
Vladimirovich!
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 Peoples
Assembly of Abkhazia asks you, Dear Mister President, to support the idea of
establishment of associated relations between the Republic
of Abkhazia and the Russian Federation.
We highly appreciate your friendly attitude to our Republic and our people.
The People’s
Assembly of Abkhazia assures you that Abkhazia will not change its foreign
course regardless of the results of the presidential relations: Russia has always
been and remains the our main guarantor of stability and security and our
strategic partner, and we will never deviate from this path.
16 october 2004
( Archive of the Ministry of
Foreign Afairs of Georgia)