STATEMENT OF THE PRESIDIUM OF THE SUPREME COUNCIL OF THE REPUBLIC OF ABKHAZIA

On 7 September 1993 the media means of Georgia and Russia announced about entry of armed formations of ex-President Gamsakhrdia’s supporters in the Gali District of Abkhazia. They took the control over the Gali District, thus grossly violated para 1 of Ceasefire Agreement in Abkhazia, which states about inadmissibility of entry of the additional armed formations in the zone of armed conflict.

Obviously the facts show that the taking over the control of Gali District represents the part of plan elaborated by Georgian leaders within the frame of withdrawal of armed formations from the territory of Abkhazia as stated in the Agreement, through which they try to replace them.

The Abkhaz side has informed the Joint Commission that Georgians dispersed the military personnel, artillery and armed vehicles over the territory in order to hide them and avoid registration and further withdrawal from the territory of Abkhazia. Doing so the Georgian side managed to conceal the considerable part of the manpower and the armament. In particular, in Gali District, long before receiving the information on entry of additional military forces, they formed battalion and attached to it tens of armed vehicles, artillery units and light weapons. The similar formations have been created in Ochamchire and Sukhum. Likewise as it ahs happened in Gali District the Georgian side is preparing to legalize the armed formations – Z. Gamsakhurdia’s supporters.

This plan is aimed at maintaining the military presence of Georgia in Abkhazia in the guise of “Zviadists”, the conduct of which allegedly goes beyond of control of the official power of Georgia.

Therefore, the Georgian side wants to break the Agreement of 27 July 1993 which was considered by the Abkhaz people as the possibility for establishing the peace. The acts of the Georgian side demonstrate that they use the Agreements on ceasefire and on peaceful regulation for resolving the Abkhaz conflict through the forcible measures.

The Presidium of the Supreme Council of the Republic of Abkhazia calls upon the brotherly people of the North Caucasus and the society of Russia to condemn the acts committed by the Georgian side and to demand the immediate withdrawal of all armed formations from the territory of Abkhazia and rigorous observance of the Ceasefire Agreement.

Chairman of the Supreme Council of the Republic of Abkhazia V. Ardzinba

Gudauta, 8 September 1993

(Conflicts in Abkhazia and South Ossetia. Documents 1989-2006 (Supplement to “Kavkazskie Sborniki”, edition #1). Collected and commented by M. A. Volkhonski, B. A. Zakharov, N. Y. SIlaev. – Moscow, 2008, p. 170-171/ in Russian)