Gov’t pursuing “reasonable policy for restoring trust” - PM on Abkhazia War anniversary

Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili on Monday highlighted the Government’s “reasonable and peaceful policy” with regards to the Russian-occupied Abkhazia and Tskhinvali (South Ossetia) regions of the country and said the vision was “focused on restoring trust” between communities divided by conflicts in the territories, in his message for the 31st anniversary of the 1992-1993 war in the former.

In his message over the date, Garibashvili noted building a “peaceful, strong, developed state together with Abkhazians and Ossetians” was the “best prospect”.

Thirty-one years have passed since the beginning of one of the most tragic events in our history - the war in Abkhazia. The unjustifiable confrontation cost the lives of many of our citizens - soldiers and civilians - on both sides. Together with our entire public, I once again honour the vivid memory of each of them”, Garibashvili said.

The Government head stressed territorial conflicts and their consequences remained the “main challenge of our state and public”.

[T]he temporary occupation of our indigenous lands, the displacement of hundreds of thousands of people within their homeland, relations with Abkhazians and Ossetians still remain the main challenge of our state and public, which can only be responded to by unwavering protection of peace, restoration of trust, and overall development of the country”, he continued.

Garibashvili added building a “peaceful, strong, developed state together with Abkhazians and Ossetians” was a “common task for all of us”.

I strongly believe that the reasonable, peaceful policy focused on restoring trust that we [the Georgian Dream Government] have been pursuing since coming to power is consistently bringing us closer to this goal”, he concluded.

The Abkhazia war began on August 14, 1992 and lasted for 13 months and 13 days, ending with the loss of the capital of Abkhazia, Sokhumi, on September 27, 1993, to separatist forces backed by militants from the North Caucasus and the Russian troops stationed in the region. 

The conflict saw the sides negotiate a ceasefire in September 1992 which was broken by the Abkhaz and Russian forces a month later. The ceasefire that ended the conflict was signed in December 1993.

In August 2008, following a five-day war between Russia and Georgia, the Russian Government recognised the independence of Abkhazia, with the Georgian Parliament declaring it a Russian-occupied region of the country two days later - a view shared by the international community.