US, UK hamper Abkhazia's recognition

The US and the UK are intentionally disrupting the recognition of Abkhazia’s independence. If it was not for the pressure from their part the sovereignty of Abkhazia had been officially supported by at least 20 countries of the Asian Pacific Region, Juris Gulbis, ambassador of Abkhazia to the Asia-Pacific Region said.

The tactics of Washington and London is simple. The countries which are beginning to establish ties with Sukhum are simply told not to do so. Those who don’t obey will face tough economic sanctions, the ambassador says.

"The powerful states such as the US, the UK and also the EU are supporting Georgia and fully ignoring the position of Abkhazia. Abkhazia has the right tot be recognized as an independent state, while Tbilisi wants to make it part of Georgia again. The western countries are trying to disrupt all our plans and possibilities to win sovereignty."


It is now especially hard for the small island states such as Nauru, Vanuatu and Tuvalu which have already recognized the independence of Abkhazia. The West has simply stopped the financing of vitally important projects in those countries. By acting this way they not only punish the citizens of those states but make it clear for the rest what they can expect if they recognize Abkhazia’s independence.

However not every state surrenders to such “blackmailing” methods. At least 12 countries of the Asian Pacific region, which became independent in the last 30-50 years, welcome Sukhum’s ambition for freedom. Although they are not quite ready to establish diplomatic relations with Abkhazia they do not deny that the support the new state, Gulbis says.

"They admit that Abkhazia exists that it has its people and its government. They understand that we have the conflict which soon I hope will be resolved. During the vote in the UN they never vote against us, they either stay neutral or vote for us."

The fact that Western countries deny Abkhazia’s sovereignty while actively lobbying Kosovo’s separation from Serbia clearly shows what the core of the problem is. Washington, London and the EU in pursuit of their own geopolitical interest use the Georgian-Abkhazian conflicts for weakening Russia’s authorities on the international arena, the foreign policy expert of the Centre for current politics in Russia Evgenia Voiko says.

"Every time when one more country recognizes the independence of South Ossetia and Abkhazia it confirms that the Russian government took the right decision in 2008. No doubt that the US the EU are trying to prevent the increase in number of countries which now or in the near future could recognize the independence of these Caucasian republics."

However Juris Gulbis is confident that already this year the number of the countries which recognize the independence of Abkhazia and South Ossetia will increase. He said that active diplomatic efforts are now being made for it but refused to name the countries with which the agreements are expected to be signed. There are too many states which are ready to disrupt the talks so we prefer to keep the information confidential, he said.

Source: The Voice of Russia

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