Abkhazian Foreign Minister Maxim Gvindzhia Calls Unjust and Biased The UN General Assembly Resolution on the Conflict in Georgia

SUKHUM -- Abkhazian foreign minister Maxim Gvindzhia called unjust and biased The UN General Assembly resolution on the conflict in Georgia. He noted that the number of abstentions together with those who voted against the resolution was much greater than those who supported the discussion-document proposed by Georgia.

In this regard, M. Gvindzhia believes that "the international community is beginning to understand the bias of Georgia in these matters."

"It is important," he said, "to stress that Georgia, in preparating the document, made use of such common formulae from international law as 'violent demographic change'. We too oppose such change and support the international community in declaring the impermissibility of violent demographic change. That is why we urge the international community, particularly the UN, to condemn the regime that existed during the Soviet era in Georgia, whose actions forcibly changed the demographic situation in Abkhazia during a period when the republic was part of the Georgian Soviet Socialist Republic, existing therein from 1931 as an autonomous republic,’’ - he said.

The minister believes that "the current situation with regard to the Kartvelian refugees has been created precisely by the political change to the demographic situation in the republic, which was conducted by Georgia over many decades in its relations with Abkhazia. So, it is only just, if such actions on the part of Tbilisi will be condemned at the level of the UN," - Gvindzhia believes.

The minister also said that "Abkhazia, as a party to the conflict, has unilaterally returned more than 50,000 of the 190,000 Kartvelian refugees." According to him, "This is an unprecedented act in international practice in such conflicts."

"The General Assembly has once again taken a decision on the basis of submissions from only one, namely the Georgian, side, without taking into account the views and arguments of the other, namely the Abkhazian side. Thus, the decision taken during the discussion of this issue is counterproductive and biased," - the Foreign Minister of Abkhazia stressed.