SERGEY SHAMBA BELIEVES PETER SEMNEBY’S VISIT EVIDENCE OF THE EU WISH TO DEVELOP RELATIONS WITH ABKHAZIA

The Minister for Foreign Affairs of Abkhazia Sergey Shamba believes Peter Semneby's visit is evidence of the European Union’s wish to continue developing relations with Abkhazia. The head of the Ministry for Foreign Affairs stated it after a meeting with the EU Special Representative for South Caucasus.

According to him, “the situation after last August events changed, and the real picture is quite different”. “Therefore it is necessary to rethink the positions, to specify them anew, to begin relations in all the directions from the very start. We discussed with Semneby issues regarding our further relations”, Shamba said.

He believes “an exchange of opinions is an important part of mutual relations too”. “Meanwhile we specify our positions, find out, where common ground is, what concessions can the parties make”, Shamba said.

According to him, the issue of the EU military observers presence in the territory of Abkhazia is always brought up, as it is on the European Union’s agenda. “We have declared from the very beginning that they will not be here, because their mandate covers only Georgia. If we agree to their presence here, it will mean we agree to be considered a part of Georgia. Reasoning from it, we have declared we are not going to cooperate in this matter”, the head of the Ministry for Foreign Affairs said.

According to Sergey Shamba, the Abkhaz party is ready to cooperate with the EU directly, instead of through Georgia. “The European Union is a neighbor of ours through the Black Sea, and certainly we should develop relations with it”, Shamba said.

“We now participate in the Geneva process where the EU is also present. The EUMM representatives participate in pentalateral meetings on incidents prevention on the border of Abkhazia with Georgia. The question how joint actions on facts investigation would be conducted was considered at the last meeting. The gist of our position is that the EU and Georgia will investigate on the Georgian side of the border, Abkhazia and Russia on ours, and the United Nations can be a moderator”, Sergey Shamba said.

The Minister for Foreign Affairs has no doubt sooner or later the European Union will understand that it is necessary to proceed from realities, instead of repeating over and over again recognition of territorial integrity of Georgia.