Georgian Breakaway Republic of Abkhazia Elects President
Like South Ossetia, Abkhazia wishes to leave Georgia and become part of the Russian Federation. The election changes none of this. While war between Russian and Georgia is not imminent, it still remains a real possibility. Xinhua:
Opposition leader Sergei Bagapsh won a landslide victory in Wednesday's presidential election in Georgia's breakaway republic of Abkhazia, the republic's Central Electoral Commission (CEC) announced Thursday.
CEC chief Batal Tabagua said Bagapsh won 91.1 percent of the vote, demolishing his only rival, the People's Party leader Yakub Lakoba, who took just 4.5 percent, the Itar-Tass news agency reported....
Abkhazia has enjoyed de facto independence from Georgia since fighting a separatist war in the early 1990s following the collapse of the Soviet Union. The region has been seeking to integrate with Russia against the wishes of Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili who has vowed to regain control over the republic and another rebel region, South Ossetia.
Bagapsh said Thursday that any future dialogue between Abkhaziaand Georgia must be held under the premise that both sides are equal and independent states.
He regarded with great optimism relations with Russia and advocated further integration with Moscow, stressing that Abkhaziawill have no future without financial and legal assistance from Russia.
1
If they can't function without money from Russia, why did they break off from Georgia?
Cindy
Posted by: firstbrokenangel at January 17, 2005 06:25 PM (D39Vm)
2
Why shouldn't the Abkhazians have their own nation ? There can't be anything worse than being part of country that you don't want to be. Citizenship and nationality are not the same. A 100 years ago if the Abkhazians were unhappy with Georgia they could have moved to the US, Canada, Australia or even Europe. But now immigration from country to country is closed to all except for the very rich. We are prisoners in country that were are born in unless we have derived another citizenship through our parents. Let the Abkhazians have their freedom and they will become the friends of the Georgia. I sure they would rather align themselves with a friendly Georgia than be a vassal of Russia. But they need their own nation so that they can live and grow as a people according to their beliefs and customs. No one, including the Georgians, wants to be ruled by another culture. Recognize the right of peoples to have self determination ! There is more to life than money.
Posted by: Bert at March 08, 2005 04:09 PM (gQRYE)
