28 June 2008, 12:48
Bagapsh: Abkhazia will never be part of Georgia again
According to Abkhazian President Sergey Bagapsh, whatever the balance of political forces in the international arena may be, Abkhazia will never be a part of Georgia again.
Mr Bagapsh made this statement on June 27 in Sukhumi, while making his comments on the information, which appeared in media that Georgia had offered Russia a package of measures to settle the Georgian-Abkhazian conflict by dividing Russia's and Georgia's spheres of influence in Abkhazia.
"I've thought that Stalin's and Beriya's times, when they endlessly divided Abkhazia have gone. And now someone, apparently, has same temptations," said the President, having emphasized that "not a single meter of Abkhazian land will be ever given to anybody for any promises; we don't trade in out homeland and territory."
The head of Abkhazia has also noted that at his recent meeting in Moscow with Russian President Dmitri Medvedev and Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Grigory Karasin this issue was not touched on; they discussed a broad spectrum of issues related to Georgian-Abkhazian and Russian-Abkhazian mutual relations. Sergey Bagapsh has re-emphasized that relations with Russia remain a priority in Abkhazia's foreign policy.
Sergey Lavrov, head of the Russian Foreign Affairs, has also categorically refuted the information that Georgia and Russia, while settling the Georgian-Abkhazian conflict, are discussing a split of Abkhazia into Russian and Georgian spheres of influence. This information is also rejected by the authorities of Georgia.
Author: Anzhela Kuchuberiya, CK correspondent
