United States rejects Russia-Abkhaz treaty

The United States (US) says it will not recognise the legitimacy of any treaty between Georgia’s breakaway Abkhazia region and the Russian Federation.

The de-facto president of breakaway Abkhazia Raul Khajimba and Russian President Vladimir Putin signed the controversial ‘Alliance and Strategic Partnership’ deal in Sochi yesterday.

The US State Department issued a statement overnight that emphasized the US supported Georgia and its territorial integrity.

The statement said the position of US on Abkhazia and South Ossetia remained clear – these regions were "integral parts of Georgia” and the US would continue to support Georgia’s independence, its sovereignty and its territorial integrity.

"We once again urge Russia to fulfill all of its obligations under the 2008 ceasefire agreement, to withdraw its forces to pre-conflict positions, to reverse its recognition of the Georgian regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia as independent states, and to provide free access for humanitarian assistance to these regions,” the statement said.

The US State Department emphasized it will renew full support for the Geneva International Discussions as a means to achieving concrete progress on security and humanitarian issues that continue to impact those who lived in Georgia’s breakaway areas.

US Ambassador to Georgia Richard Norland met Georgia’s Foreign Minister Tamar Beruchashvili and diplomatic corps in Georgia and discussed the issue. After the meeting he told journalists the US did not recognise the agreement between Russia and Abkhazia and was closely observing the developing situation in Georgia’s breakaway regions.

"We are watching that very closely like everybody else and we will see what happens later today or tomorrow but we are in close consultation with the Georgian government, we are keeping Washington informed and there will be an appropriate response once we have more information,’’ Norland said.