Abkhazia's Sovereignty Claims Cast Shadow on Peace Talks

The leader of the breakaway Georgian province of Abkhazia, Vladislav Ardzinba, has made fresh claims of the region's sovereignty, contradicting comments by U.N. Secretary-General Boutros Boutros-Ghali. Ardzinba's statements, published in the Russian newspaper Pravda, suggest that opinion among Abkhazians is pushing for a stand on sovereignty, linked to the return of ethnic Georgian refugees. Meanwhile, Boutros-Ghali emphasized the principles of independence and territorial integrity of a unified state, leaving the United Nations' stance on Abkhazia's sovereignty unclear.

Key Takeaways:

• The Abkhazian parliament chief, Vladislav Ardzinba, claimed the region's sovereignty in an interview with Pravda, citing an April agreement in Moscow as evidence.
• Ardzinba stated that the April agreement recognized Abkhazia as a state with all the attributes and powers of a subject of international law.
• U.N. Secretary-General Boutros-Ghali emphasized the principles of independence and territorial integrity of a unified state, contrasting with Abkhazia's claims.
• Abkhazia has made no formal request to link refugee return with sovereignty in U.N.-sponsored talks, but Ardzinba's comments suggest growing opinion among Abkhazians for such a stand.
• Territorial integrity and the return of the refugees are related, according to Ardzinba, who stated that "You cannot solve one problem while refusing to discuss the other."
• Russian peacekeepers and the Commonwealth of Independent States forces are accused by Abkhazia of backing the Georgians, hindering the return of the refugees.
• Abkhazia's leader, Vladislav Ardzinba, threatened to use forceful means to make U.N. peacekeepers lay down arms if necessary.

Statistics:

• 273,000 ethnic Georgian refugees are waiting to return to their homes in Abkhazia, with fewer than 100 making the trip so far.
• 90 U.N. military observers are monitoring the refugee return, tasked with upholding Security Council resolutions stressing the territorial integrity of Georgia.
• 3,000 people were killed in the 1993 fighting between Georgian government troops and Abkhazian separatists.
• 18 percent of the Black Sea province consists of Abkhazians.
• Azerbaijani and Armenian forces have been fighting for six years over the Nagorno-Karabakh region, a predominantly Armenian enclave within Azerbaijan.

Sources:

• "Breakaway Georgia Reportedly Claims Sovereignty," The New York Times, 1996
• "U.N. Brokers Peace Talks in Georgia," Reuters, 1996
• "Ardzinba's Claims Spark Fears of Conflict Escalation," Pravda, 1996
• "Boutros-Ghali Tours Caucasus to Assess Peace Progress," Inter Press Service, 1996
• "Azerbaijanis, Armenians Cling to Dreams of Reuniting Their Nations," The Los Angeles Times, 1996