The proposed 'Alliance and Integration' treaty between Russia and Georgia's breakaway region, the self-proclaimed "Republic of Abkhazia” violates international law, co-rapporteurs of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) say.
PACE co-rapporteurs for the monitoring of Georgia Michael Aastrup Jensen (Denmark, ALDE) and Boriss Cilevics (Latvia, SOC) expressed their "deep concern” at the treaty, saying it was "another example of annexation”.
"This proposed agreement violates international law and is another example of the creeping annexation of the Georgian region of Abkhazia by the Russian Federation,” they said.
"Instead of creating new barriers between peoples, Russia should rather encourage and facilitate contacts between people residing in Abkhazia and those in the rest of Georgia.”
The two co-rapporteurs said they would visit Georgia from December 3-5 in the framework of the ongoing monitoring procedure in respect of Georgia.