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WAR IN ABKHAZIA See Also: War in Abkhazia It involved a 13-month long Abkhazian war with Georgian government forces and militia made of ethnic Georgians who lived in Abkhazia on one side and separatist forces made of ethnic Abkhazian s, Armenians and Russians who also lived in Abkhazia on the other side. The separatists were supported by the North Caucasian and Cossack militants and (unofficially) by Russia n forces stationed in Gudauta . RESUMPTION OF HOSTILITIES In April–May, 1998 , the conflict escalated once again in the Gali District when several hundreds of Abkhaz forces entered the villages still populated by Georgians support the separatist-held parliamentary elections. Despite the criticism from opposition, Eduard Shevardnadze, President Of Georgia , refused to deploy troops against Abkhazia. A Ceasefire was negotiated on May 20 . The hostilities resulted in hundreds of casualties from both sides and additional 20.000 Georgian refugees. In September 2001 , around 400 Chechen fighters and 80 Georgian guerillas appeared in the Kodori Valley in extremely controversial conditions. The Chechen-Georgian paramilitaries advanced as far as Sukhumi, but finally were repelled by Abkhaz and Gudauta based Russian peacekeepers. There have been some concerns (in both Tbilisi and Sukhumi) that Chechen attacks in the Kodori Gorge were a military escapade organized by certain Georgian authorities. CURRENT STATUS The conflict, one of the bloodiest in the post-Soviet area, remains unresolved. The Georgian government offered a large autonomy to Abkhazia several times. However, both Abkhaz government and opposition refuse any forms of union with Georgia. Abkhaz consider their independence as a result of liberation war against Georgian aggression, while Georgians believe the conflict to be a patriotic war to retain sovereignty and integrity of Georgia. Many accuse Eduard Shevardnadze’s government in initiation of a senseless hostilities, and then in ineffective conduction of the war and post-war diplomacy. The new Georgian government of President Mikhail Saakashvili promises not to use force and to resolve the problem only by diplomacy and political talks. While at a summit of CIS it was decided to exclude any contacts with separatists, the trans-border economical cooperation and transport between Abkhazia and Russia grows in scale, with Russia claiming that all this is a matter of private business, rather than state. Georgia also decries the unlimited issuing of Russian passports in Abkhazia with subsequent payment of Retirement Pension s and other monetary benefits by Russia, which Georgia considers to be economical support of separatists by Russian government. In May 2006 the Coordinating Council of Georgia’s Government and Abkhaz separatists was convened for the first time since 2001. "UN Representative Says Abkhazia Dialogue Is Positive" In late July the 2006 Kodori Crisis erupted resulting in establishment of De Jure Government Of Abkhazia in Kodori . For the first time after the war, this government is located in Abkhazia and headed by Malkhaz Akishbaia , Temur Mzhavia and Ada Marshania . Tbilisi-Based Abkhaz Government Moves to Kodori, Civil Georgia, July 27 2006. URL accessed on 2007-07-28 TIMELINE
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