Abkhazia says EU visa policy discriminates against its citizens

SUKHUM, (TASS) --  Abkhazia regards the European Union countries’ policy towards its citizens “erroneous and discriminatory,” Abkhazian Foreign Minister Vyacheslav Chirikba told TASS on Wednesday. He said Abkhazia will make the corresponding statement at the Geneva discussions on security and stability in Transcaucasia.

The regular 30th round of the Geneva discussions is scheduled for December 9-10.

“The agenda (of the discussions) includes the situation with security in the border areas of Abkhazia and Georgia, as well as the text of the planned joint statement of the discussion participants on the non-use of force,” he said. Chirikba added that the Abkhazian side in the working group on security would again raise the issue of the freedom of movement of Abkhazian citizens.

“The Georgian side and other discussion participants will most likely raise the issue of the new big Treaty on Allied Relations and Strategic Partnership between Abkhazia and Russia that was signed in Sochi on November 24,” Chirikba said. “As you know, in connection with the treaty signing Georgia accuses Russia of all but annexation of Abkhazia. Of course, these are ungrounded speculations and the Abkhazian side has plenty of arguments to dispel such allegations.”

The Geneva discussions on Transcaucasia security involve representatives of the Republic of Abkhazia, Georgia, the Russian Federation, the United States of America, the Republic of South Ossetia, as well as the UN, the OSCE and the EU. They are held for more than 5 years based on agreements between the Russian and French presidents reached after the August 2008 events when Georgia attacked South Ossetia, forcing Russia to bring troops to the region. Soon after that Moscow recognised South Ossetia and Abkhazia and independent states.