Maxim Gvindzhia: "Recognition is a Triumph of International Law"

On August 26th, Abkhazia commemorates the Day of International Recognition of its Independence, marking 15 years since the then-Russian President Dmitry Medvedev recognised the sovereignty of Abkhazia and South Ossetia. In an interview first published in the newspaper "Republic of Abkhazia," Maxim Gvindzhia, former Minister of Foreign Affairs, discusses the impact of this recognition, the challenges to further progress, and other key aspects of Abkhazian diplomacy. This interview has been translated into English for AbkhazWorld.com.

At the beginning of August, Maxim Gvindzhia, the Vice-Rector for International Relations and Economic Affairs at Abkhazian State University (ASU) and an advisor to the President of Abkhazia on international affairs, was appointed as Ambassador-at-Large at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Abkhazia.

However, as the saying goes, there are no former diplomats. Maxim Gvindzhia is a politician well-known not only in diplomatic circles within Abkhazia but also far beyond its borders. He has made significant contributions to the cause of international recognition of Abkhazia. He served in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Abkhazia for twelve years, from 1999 to 2011. There is no doubt that he is well-versed in the fundamental principles of diplomacy. Working in the country's foreign policy department after the war, he actively participated in the negotiation process. After all, as Soviet diplomat No. 1, A. Gromyko, once said, "It is better to negotiate for ten years than to fight for one day."

Maxim Gvindzhia was born on March 13, 1976, in the city of Sukhum. In 1998, he graduated from the Horlivka State Pedagogical Institute of Foreign Languages. From 1999, he worked in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Abkhazia. From 1999 to 2002, he worked in the Ministry’s translation department. In 2001, he received training in negotiation at Harvard Law School. From 2002 to 2004, he served as head of the Ministry's international department. From 2004 to 2010, he was the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Abkhazia. In 2004, he received training in human rights protection at the University of South Wales. Since 2005, he has been the representative of the unrecognised Republic of Abkhazia in the UNPO (Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organization), which operates under the UN, and a member of the Presidential Council of the Organisation of Unrepresented Peoples. From 2010 to 2011, he was the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Abkhazia. From 2011 to 2015, he served as Vice-President of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Abkhazia. Since 2015, he has been the Vice-President of the International Foundation “Apsny” and currently serves as Vice-Rector for International Relations and Economic Affairs at ASU, as well as an advisor to the President of Abkhazia on international affairs.

– What has the recognition of Abkhazia as a sovereign state by Russia and other countries brought to Abkhazia? What obstacles are there to further developing this process? Maxim Gvindzhia discusses these and other aspects of the country's diplomacy:

– For us, recognition is a political event, an affirmation of the correctness of our path towards independence. But beyond that, recognition is the triumph of international law. Immediately after Abkhazia was recognised by Russia, our people believed in the future—more precisely, they believed in a secure future. Before, we lived in anticipation of another war with Georgia; after recognition, we felt that the threat of war had disappeared, and we began to invest in the future. This is the most important thing. This is what recognition has brought us. I am often asked how we assess our state status from the perspective of international law (after all, most countries in the world have not recognised the independence of the republic). Unfortunately, the world situation is such that international law is interpreted very specifically by the global community, with this interpretation being imposed on the world by Western countries. Today, the position of Russia and the countries of the Global South on a multipolar world and the supremacy of international law—not the rules invented by the West—has become increasingly relevant. On one hand, there is the principle of territorial integrity, and on the other, the right of a people to self-determination. In addition to the legal aspects of our right to independence, there is also the often-forgotten Montevideo Convention of 1933, which defines the criteria of a state—permanent population, defined territory, government, and the capacity to enter into relations with other states. Abkhazia is primarily based on the international legal foundations of its independence, as well as on factual ones, because Abkhazia has been independent for as many years as other CIS countries.

+ Maxim Gvindzhia: "We must knock on all doors"

+ Sergey Shamba: Abkhazia's Goal is Clear - Build and Strengthen Our State

+ Abkhazia: Seeking Alliance but Standing Apart from Russian Federation

+ The International Legal Status of the Republic of Abkhazia In the Light of International Law, by Viacheslav Chirikba

Like any other country, Abkhazia strives to build its state. Thanks to Russia's support, Abkhazia is addressing many social, infrastructural, and economic issues.

Let’s go back to the events of 1991-1992. Georgia separated from the USSR, but we voted to preserve our republic within the USSR, which later collapsed. However, there are historical precedents: Georgia reverted to the 1925 Constitution, under which Abkhazia was not part of Georgia. Georgia denounced all decrees of the Soviet government, which means that Stalin’s decree on the incorporation of Abkhazia into Georgia was also annulled.

Abkhazia is an independent country. Recognition is necessary for us not only to affirm our independence and strengthen our status, but these reasons are less important.

The international community, particularly the UN, made a mistake when it recognised Georgia within borders that included Abkhazia. At that time, they did not have the right to admit Georgia to the UN without resolving its internal territorial conflict. Vladislav Ardzinba wrote a letter to UN Secretary-General Boutros Ghali about this.

Abkhazia is an independent country. Recognition is necessary for us not only to affirm our independence and strengthen our status, but these reasons are less important. Recognition is essential for us to develop relations with other countries, particularly economic ones. Recognition alone does not yield tangible results. We must focus on improving the living standards of our population. It is very difficult to lobby for Abkhazia’s recognition while facing internal problems. We need to convince our partners that it is in their interest to cooperate with Abkhazia. Often, we do not fully utilise the potential that international cooperation offers. When establishing relations with other countries, we must simultaneously initiate economic ties with those countries. Yes, some countries may want to recognise us but are unable to do so for political reasons—they fear the United States, which openly threatens them.

Recognition by other countries should be important and beneficial to us, primarily in economic terms. With some countries, we can trade even without formal recognition. We are very conservative. In Abkhazian politics, some problems that have long been resolved in the wider world emerge as new and unexpected. We believe that financial resources alone are required to solve these issues. But that is not the case. There are other ways to address such matters. We need to visit those who have gone through similar experiences. International activities are not only about politics or trade; they are primarily about exchanging experiences. In my diplomatic service, my work was not limited to diplomatic receptions and resolving political issues. A significant part of my meetings and consultations was focused on business development and attracting investments. Few in the world are interested in our right to independence or the details of our conflict—people want to develop relationships and cooperate. As I mentioned earlier, diplomatic service has opened up access to international experience and innovations, which I always dream of applying in our country.

The Geneva negotiations are an important mechanism for our foreign policy. It is the only international platform where we are officially represented. Despite the lack of tangible results from these negotiations, which have been ongoing since 1994, I believe that the Geneva Discussions are crucial. They sometimes address pressing issues of daily coexistence between Abkhazia and Georgia, including border issues. We should not place too much importance on this platform—we should not spend all our time negotiating with the enemy; we must also seek out friends. I have traveled throughout Latin America, Africa, Asia, and Europe. I remember a time when some European Union countries were ready to send their goods directly to us and purchase our products. The Ministries of Foreign Affairs and Economy must work very closely together to contribute to further economic development.

Travel opens the world to us and gives us access to innovations in all areas of modern society. The development of innovations and new technologies has long been a reality in countries much younger than Abkhazia. We remain stagnant, thinking that the whole world is also standing still. Fear of progress is not uncommon. All nations go through such a stage. We just need to understand that staying within archaic frameworks will not stop the challenges of the future. The world has long been global. We cannot separate ourselves from it with any wall. Moreover, historical processes are cyclical. We must do our homework and prepare for future challenges.