The Georgian foreign Ministry has condemned Putin’s visit to Abkhazia
Georgia condemned the visit of Vladimir Putin to Abkhazia, which fell on the anniversary of the 2008 conflict. Tbilisi has demanded from Moscow to stop “provocative actions”.
The visit of the President of Russia Vladimir Putin to Abkhazia is a continuation of the policy of Moscow against Tbilisi. This is stated in the statement published on the website of Georgian foreign Ministry on 8 August.
The statement said that the visit of the Russian President in the “occupied Abkhazia violates international law”.
The Ministry of foreign Affairs [of Georgia] calls on Russia to stop provocative actions against Georgia’s statehood and to respect the territorial integrity of a sovereign state.
In its statement the Georgian foreign Ministry also “urged the international community to give due assessment to these actions of Moscow to make the Russian Federation to fulfil its international obligations”.
On August 8, Putin arrived in Abkhazia. The visit came on the ninth anniversary of the armed conflict in 2008, after which Russia recognized the independence of Abkhazia and South Ossetia from Georgia. The Russian President held in Pitsunda meeting with the President of the Republic Raul Khajimba, which assured that Russia will continue to act as a guarantor of security and independence of Abkhazia.
Before Putin arrived in Abkhazia on 25 August 2013.
The conflict involving Georgia, Abkhazia and South Ossetia deteriorated sharply in late July and early August 2008. August 8, Dmitry Medvedev, as the President of Russia, announced the beginning of the operation to enforce peace after the shelling by Georgian troops of Tskhinvali. The region was imposed by the Russian troops. After five days of fighting the leaders of Abkhazia, South Ossetia, Georgia and Russia signed a plan for a peaceful settlement of the conflict.