Russia refuses responsibility for murder of Georgian man near Abkhazia ABL
Tweet 
Share
Special envoys representing Georgia and Russia met today in Prague, Czech Republic, for the latest round of talks between the two nations.
Today’s meeting between Georgia’s Special Envoy to Russia Zurab Abashidze and Russia’s Deputy Foreign Minister Grigory Karasin typically revolved around economic and humanitarian issues however Georgia’s envoy launched the meeting by speaking about the recent murder of a Georgian citizen by a Russian-controlled border guard on Georgian territory.
Abashidze repeated the Georgian Government’s position and stressed the border guard who callously murdered 31-year-old Giga Otkhozoria on May 19 "must be arrested and appropriately punished.”
Issues like the murder of Giga Otkhozoria aren’t generally discussed at Prague meetings with Russia’s Deputy Foreign Minister Grigory Karasin but in this case we believed it was imperative to raise the issue,” said Abashidze after the meeting.
The Georgian official reiterated that last week’s verdict by the Military Court of de facto Abkhazia about sentencing the accused border guard to home detention was "inadequate.”
He also said both the Russian and Abkhazian side shared the responsibility of the murder.
In response Karasin said Russia had no responsibility for the murder and it was the obligation of de facto Abkhazia to investigate the case and punish the offender.
On another note, Karasin said he "loves Georgia” and "wishes to see stability in the country after the October 8 Parliamentary Elections”.
He added Russia was "interested” in the election outcome.
At the end of the meeting both officials said the meeting was constructive. Abashidze said one positive result of the meeting was the release of the seventh Georgian person who had been imprisoned in Russia for spying.
The first Abashidze-Karasin meeting took place in 2012 in Geneva. The Abashidze-Karasin talks are limited in scope to economic and other practical issues and are the only direct communication between Georgia and Russia.
Russia’s Deputy Foreign Minister said Moscow disliked the "increasing anti-Russian rhetoric in Tbilisi” and the Kremlin’s patience "has limits too”. Georgia's Prime Minister said Georgia’s territorial integrity was the only principle which normalized relations between Georgia and Russia could be built on.
A Kremlin proposed new treaty on ‘Alliance and Integration’ between Georgia’s breakaway region Abkhazia and Russia will not be reconsidered,Russia’s Deputy Foreign Minister GrigoryKarasinsaid after bilateral talks led by Georgian PM’s special envoy for relations with Russiain Prague today.
UPDATED: 5.10pm
The Military Court operating in Georgia’s de facto Abkhazia region has imposed a sentence of home detention on the border guard who shot and killed 31-year-old Georgian man Giga Otkhozoria on May 19.
A special meeting is taking place in occupied Abkhazia tomorrow where Georgian officials and de facto Abkhazian leadership will sit down for the first time in four years and discuss conflict issues, including the murder of a Georgian man near the Abkhazian Administrative Boundary Line (ABL).
Georgian law authorities have asked the court to impose pre-trial detention in absentia for the border guard who shot and killed a Georgian man near the Administrative Boundary Line (ABL) separating de facto Abkhazia region from the rest of Georgia on May 19.
Russia has denied any involvement in the brutal murder of a Georgian man near the Administrative Boundary Line (ABL) separating de facto Abkhazia region from the rest of Georgia.
Georgia’s two highest officials have spoken out about the killing of a Georgian man near the de facto Abkhazia; with one saying his death was "merciless” and the other saying it was unacceptable barbed wire fences were installed on Georgian territory.