The de facto foreign ministry of occupied Abkhazia said in an April 20 statement that Sokhumi “has taken note” of recent remarks by Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova and “shares Russia’s position on the consequences of Georgia’s accession to the EU.”
During an April 16 press briefing, Zakharova said that if Georgia were to join the European Union, Russia “would have” to add Georgia to its list of states with “unfriendly regimes” and extend “retaliatory economic measures” against it.
The de facto ministry said it is “closely monitoring” developments in Georgia’s foreign policy and that Tbilisi’s course “does not contribute to strengthening trust in the region,” citing what it called “periodic statements by the Georgian side, military cooperation with NATO, refusal to sign with the Republic of Abkhazia a legally binding agreement on the non-use of force, and Georgia’s policy aimed at the international isolation of the Republic of Abkhazia.”
The de facto authorities further claimed that Georgia’s military cooperation with NATO, including joint exercises held on Georgian territory, is “a cause for serious concern,” adding that “such actions cannot but be viewed as a factor negatively affecting regional stability and increasing tensions.”
The statement also described as “another serious destabilizing factor” what it called Georgia’s refusal to sign “a legally binding agreement on the non-use of force with Abkhazia,” which it said is “the main objective” of the Geneva International Discussions. It added that Sokhumi raises the issue during every round of the talks and stresses “the importance of intensifying efforts to conclude this legally binding agreement.”
Sokhumi, Tskhinvali, and Moscow have been demanding that Tbilisi sign a “legally binding” agreement on the non-use of force with the de facto authorities of the two occupied regions since the 2008 Russo-Georgian war and Russia’s subsequent recognition of them as independent states. While Tbilisi made a unilateral pledge in 2010 to “never use force to roll back the Russian occupation and to restore its control over the occupied areas,” successive Georgian governments refused to sign such agreements directly with Sokhumi and Tskhinvali, fearing that it would amount to de facto recognition of their independence.
The de facto ministry further alleged that Tbilisi is “hindering the establishment of a stable security architecture in the region,” while claiming that the Abkhaz side “consistently prioritizes the safeguarding of our own security, sovereignty, and sustainable development.”
“Any integration processes involving Georgia must not pose a threat to the existing realities,” the statement concluded.
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