De facto Tskhinvali concerned by ‘Abkhaz presidential candidate’s’ words on need for ‘dialogue with Tbilisi’
De facto authorities of Tskhinvali say that are ‘closely watching’ situation in Abkhazia. Zaza Driaev on the proto by de facto parliament of Tskhinvali.
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The de facto authorities of Georgia’s Russian-controlled Tskhinvali region are concerned by the recent statement of ‘Abkhaz opposition leader’ Aslan Bzhania on the ‘need for dialogue with Tbilisi,’ de facto head of Foreign Affairs Committee in the so-called Tskhinvali parliament Zaza Driaev says.
However, it is an internal issue of Abkhazia. We are closely watching the situation in our friendly nation Abkhazia,” Driaev said.
He stated that Tskhinvali will agree on such a dialogue with Tbilisi only after ‘Georgia recognizes the independence of South Ossetia and signs a non-use of force agreement with us.’
Bzhania told IPN news agency yesterday that “Tbilisi and Sokhumi must have a dialogue”, adding that the format of the dialogue ‘is less important, as to whether there will be mediators or not, the most important thing is that the dialogue result in a positive outcome.’
Bzhania, who was scheduled to run in the ‘presidential elections’ in Abkhazia in September 2019, came back to the region only on January 9, 2020, as he was allegedly poisoned just prior to the race last year.
Bzhania stated that the dialogue “should involve people who are eager to make the situation peaceful and human-oriented,” Bzhania said.
Georgian PM Giorgi Gakharia responded that ‘peace and talks” with Russian-occupied Abkhazia region are “critically important.”
Russia recognised the two Georgian regions of Abkhazia and Tskhinvali as independent states after the Russia-Georgia 2008 war.Only Venezuela, Nikaragua, Nauru and Syria have recognised the regions as independent republics so far. The rest of the international community says that the regions are occupied by Russia.