Russia: Georgia’s NATO integration prompted signing of Russia-Abkhazia treaty

Russia’s Foreign Ministry believes the ‘Alliance and Strategic Partnership’ treaty between Russia and Georgia’s breakaway Abkhazia region was in response to Georgia’s "unrestrained NATO aspirations”.

The Russian Foreign Minister’s remark was announced in a statement released today – one day after the 30th round of Geneva Talks where Georgia-Russian relations were heavily discussed by both sides and independent mediators.

Official Moscow was confident the treaty, which was condemned by Georgia and the international community, had not purpose of "annexation”.

"It is a propagandistic cliché of Tbilisi and the West,” claimed the Russian statement.

"Security issues in the South Caucasus region requires very close attention against the background of Georgia’s unrestrained NATO aspirations, the ‘package of enhanced cooperation’ offered to Georgia by NATO during the Wales Summit in September, plans to establish NATO military infrastructure on the territory of Georgia, as well as renewed negotiations on supply of new weapons to Georgia by Western states,” Russia’s Foreign Ministry stated.

The Russian side highlighted that at the Geneva Talks, Russian and Abkhazian representatives highlighted that the ‘Alliance and Strategic Partnership’ deal signed on November 24 aimed at "strengthening of statehood and self-defense capabilities of Abkhazia”.

"The treaty does not contain provisions posing threat to any third party, including Georgia,” said the Russian side.

Meanwhile, the main topic of the Geneva Talks on December 9-10 was the controversial Russia-Abkhazia treaty and fulfilment of Russia’s obligations of the ceasefire agreement, made after the August war in 2008.

At the meeting the Georgian side highlighted that the establishment of such a treaty with Georgia’s breakaway region contradicted international law and undermined such fundamental legal principles as the non-interference in the internal affairs of states, the non-use of force or the threat of force, sovereignty, the inviolability of borders, territorial integrity, and the good-faith fulfillment of international commitments.

"The signature of this document is directed against Georgia's sovereignty and territorial integrity and constitutes a further step taken by Russia towards the annexation of Georgia's occupied region of Abkhazia,” said Georgia's Deputy Foreign Minister David Dondua, who led the Georgian delegation in Geneva.