The state Department praised Georgia for a new initiative in respect of Abkhazia and South Ossetia
WASHINGTON, April 5. /TASS/. The state Department praised on Wednesday nominated Prime Minister of Georgia at the government meeting the initiative aimed “to improve the humanitarian and socio-economic status of the residents of the Abkhaz and the Tskhinvali regions of Georgia”.
As noted in a statement released by the spokesperson of the us Department of Heather Nauert, the US “welcomed Georgia’s commitment to dialogue and peaceful settlement of the conflict”.
According to her, released by Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili, “the package of proposals aims to improve the lives of people in the Georgian regions — Abkhazia and South Ossetia”. “The United States fully supports the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Georgia within its internationally recognized borders,” — said Nauert.
Kvirikashvili at a meeting of the government pointed out that “for the proposed amendments to the legislation providing for the expansion and facilitation of trade along the line of demarcation, creation of additional conditions for obtaining qualitative education to the people of Abkhazia and South Ossetia in the universities of Georgia and foreign countries, the establishment of a mechanism to facilitate access of inhabitants of these regions to the achievements of Georgia to a visa-free regime with the EU, free trade and others.”
Commenting on the initiative, the foreign Minister of Abkhazia Daur Cove said that Georgia has exhausted the resources of the pressure on the Republic and demonstrates “to the world community some semblance of a friendship.”
“The only step to a better future is Georgia’s recognition of independence of the Republic of Abkhazia and build a full-fledged inter-state dialogue,” he added.
Russia August 26, 2008 recognized the independence of Abkhazia and South Ossetia and established diplomatic relations with them. Tbilisi in September of the same year, announced the rupture of diplomatic relations with Moscow “in connection with Russia’s recognition of Abkhazia and the Tskhinvali region”. Officials of Georgia in recent years declare that in favor of “normalizing relations with Russia on the basis of territorial integrity of Georgia within its internationally recognized borders”.