As promissed, more impressions from my recent trip to Sukhumi. In Abkhazia, the economic imperative of rebuilding the region and attracting investments (predominantly Russian) clashes with its political project of staying more or less independent. Abkhazia might face the following paradox: until August 2008 Abkhazia was de facto independent but unrecognised; now it is recognised (by Russia and Nicaragua only), but not de facto independent anymore. The closure of the UNOMIG mission (anounced today) will also leave Abkhazia more internationally isolated than ever before.
Compared to my previous visit there in March 2006, now Sukhumi was livelier. There are more renovated buildings, more expensive cars, more people on the promenade by the sea, and the cafés are fuller. This is both a sign of some economic progress, but also the fact that summer is always livelier than the rest of the year (because of the tourists).
In the hotel I stayed (Ritsa) – very central and right by the sea – there were three wi-fi networks in the range of my laptop. The local GSM operator “Aquaphone” boasts with its 3G network. On one of the formerly abandoned piers in Sukhumi – a café was opened that serves sushi (and where the local authorities took Solana and Lavrov on their recent visits to Abkhazia). I even saw a yellow Hummer (!) (I also saw another one in Tbilisi –apparently that is trendy). A recent spat between the Georgian government and Benetton is also telling. Benetton Turkey wanted to open a shop in Sukhumi, but the Georgian government protested since such an investment was not coordinated with the Georgian government whose sovereignty over Abkhazia is recognised by all but two UN member states. Benetton Tbilisi even closed down its shop for two days in protest against the actions of its Turkish sister company. Still, I saw in Sukhumi one improvised (in Russian one would say “kustarnyi”) Zara, one improvised Mango and 3 improvised Ikea mini-shops (these are not official representations, but just local shuttle-businessmen buying stuff in Russia or Turkey and importing it into Abkhazia).
There still are plenty of destroyed buildings (in the centre of Sukhumi, and especially in the “Novyi raion”– not far from Gumista river where the frontline between Georgian and Abkhaz troops was in 1992-1993). Many Abkhaz speak of a local construction boom. It is true that some buildings are being rebuilt or renovated, but I would not call that a construction boom in the way “constructions booms” happened in Moscow, Tbilisi, Kiev or Baku. And certainly economical development in Sukhumi is nowehere near the economic development Tbilisi has seen in recent years. Despite the fact that Abkhazia is a paradise for fruits and vegetables (and tourists), almost all the fruits on the market are imported (from Turkey I guess), and the cherries cost 8-10 USD (250-300 roubles).
But overall the economic mood is very optimistic. From an Abkhaz perspective, the security problem is solved by Russia guaranteeing and defending Abkhazia’s mostly unrecognised border with Georgia. This should boost investor confidence and lead to higher economic growth.
But Abkhazia’s economic optimism is clouded by a certain anxiety on Abkhazia’s political and demographic future. There is a deep sense of fear that Abkhazia will dissolve itself economically and politically in the “greater Russia” (see the newspaper article below). The fear is that Russia will take over most of the Abkhaz tourist infrastructure (attractive land by the sea and hotels); the construction works for the Sochi Olympics will draw on Abkhaz construction materials, such a gravel, destroying Abkhaz beaches and riverbeds; and the Russian soldiers serving in Abkhazia might stay on with their families changing the demographic balance in a way that is even less favourable to the ethnic Abkhaz (who anyway constitute slightly over a third of the population now). However this does not mean the Abkhaz will suddenly want to become part of Georgia again.
As an Abkhaz told me: “Abkhazia faces competing pressures: we need more Russian troops to have our security guaranteed, but we also fear having too many Russian troops for fear of losing control of Abkhazia”. The need to find a balance between integration with Russia and maintaining a certain distance from Russia runs through almost every single economic, social, political, demographic or environmental issue in the region. Such a balance is impossible perhaps.
PS: Andrew Wilson and I just published a new ECFR report on the Eastern neighbourhood: European and Russian Power in the Troubled Neighbourhood .
PPS: Russia vetoed the extension of the UNOMIG (UN Observer Mission in Georgia). From what I know the Abkhaz definitely wanted the mission to stay (under a modified name), since this was virtually their only opening to the broader world.
#1 by Abkhazia - my love on June 19, 2009 - 7:23 am
#36 by Sanne on June 18th, 2009 – 1:14 pm
David Galaridze expressed well-founded doubts about the mass-return of these Kartvelians to Abkhazia in the newspaper “Akhali Taoba”: “What do we want in Abkhazia, to kill everyone and live there?”
I have a solution for Georgia. Send a nuclear bomb to Abkhazia.
I am sure Georgian backers will keep their silence. So, they can try…
Sanna
or who you are there and if you maybe were born as a human being , but as for the moment you turned to a cannibal , even the cannibal is too sweet word for you .
#2 by Nika on June 19, 2009 - 10:17 am
Glenn and abkhazia
we have never refused living together with Abkhaz and will never refuse. There were some statements during the war but that is natural. By the way, victims of the war from the Ablhaz side were predominantly male between 20 and 40, whereas victims from the Georgian side were children, women and elderly people. How would you explain this? I am really surprised that you do not want to confess that there were mistakes on your side as well. And believe me you can not find a single Georgian who wants Abkhazia to become part of Krasnodar Kraj. Unfortunately I see this trend and that’s why I am worried. Russia has occupied Abkhazia and if you are happy with it, I really do not see the point of your fight independence. THe times have changed and today Abkhaz nation has better chances of preserving its culture and traditions with Georgia (with international guarantees) rather than with Russia. Look at your fellow cherkess, kabardinians, balkars, ossetians, adygs – they are all russified. Is that what you want? You have to make a choice.
#3 by Abkhazia - my love on June 19, 2009 - 10:39 am
To Sanna
Please ignore my comment to you a I have misunderstood yours )))
#4 by Abkhazia - my love on June 19, 2009 - 10:42 am
Sanna
Please ignore my comment to you
as I have misunderstood yours
#5 by Glenn on June 19, 2009 - 11:00 am
”…we have never refused living together with Abkhaz and will never refuse. There were some statements during the war but that is natural. ”
Nika, are you sure? Never say never!
It seems it’s really very difficult to understand for you. It seems you can not understand what you read.
Read it again and again. Please…
Abkhazia did not formally declare independence until 12 October 1999. And this was in large measure the result of frustration at continuing bad faith on the part of Tbilisi in post-war negotiations.
After protracted talks and constant last-minute revisions by Georgia a Protocol was ready for presidential signing in summer 1997, and yet at the last minute Tbilisi (NOT Sukhum) REFUSED (Abkhazian Foreign Ministry Document 325, 25 Dec 1997).
[READ HERE AGAIN AND AGAIN]
Such petty obstructionism continues, for in February 2001 Georgia’s UN Ambassador, P. Chkheidze, refused to sign two draft-documents, claiming them “unacceptable for the government of Georgia” — as the respected commentator, Liz Fuller, noted in her Radio Liberty report (4.5, 2 Feb 2001): “Chkheidze’s criticism is surprising as the versions of both drafts currently under discussion were proposed by the Georgian side”.’
Question: Did you know that the war is ended in 1993? (I remind you again that it was GEORGIA STARTED the war)
Second, it was your generals who committed to KILL all Abkhazians! Do i need to remind their speaches?
Nika, why you don’t say ANYTHING about the Georgianizations campains against to Abkhazians? WHY?
I asked you and AGAIN asking.
Could you tell us Nika, who is occupied INDEPENDENT ABKHAZIA? Who settledd many Georgians to Abkhazia? Who killed Abkhaz intellectuals? the Abkhaz alphabet was changed to a Georgian base. During 1944-1945 all Abkhazian schools were closed, replacing them with Georgian schools, and the Abkhaz language was banned from administration and publication.
Who did it?
Why you can NOT SHOW the same sensivity for Abkhazians?
Abkhazia is NOT Georgia! Accept or not! This is FACT and you need to live with this FACT!
#6 by Abkhazia - my love on June 19, 2009 - 11:14 am
Nika
I will comment on you posting but please read sometimes what is writen in the post of ours , it is a kind advice to you ))
“we have never refused living together with Abkhaz and will never refuse. There were some statements during the war but that is natural. ”
What is natural ?
What Gamsahurdia said – that ABKHAZ MUST LEAVE THIS LAND AND GO TO THE nORTHERN cAUCASUS ?
wAS THE STATEMENT OF kAKRKARASHVILI NATURAL ?
wHY YET YOU DIDNT PUNISH HIM ?
wHAT ABOUT Kitovani which is still breathing this air ?
——————–
By the way, victims of the war from the Abkhaz side were predominantly male between 20 and 40, whereas victims from the Georgian side were children, women and elderly people.
—————–
Do you want to say that on the side of Georgians were not Mhedrioni bandits but elderlies and others ?
How long will you deceive yourseldff ? And open your closed eyes ?
————————-
How would you explain this? I am really surprised that you do not want to confess that there were mistakes on your side as well.
———————
What confess do you want /
The Abkhaz did nt come to bomb and destroy your houses and kill and rape your mothers , they did nt start the war , and they were defending theor country from your military criminals , and do you want them now to justify in fron of you >
I am surprised at you , what about that helicopter which was burnt down on teh 14 of December
or you think it was filma and not true ?
What about the victims in it , SEVEN PREGNANT WOMEN and you want us to forget about it ?
—————————–
And believe me you can not find a single Georgian who wants Abkhazia to become part of Krasnodar Kraj.
— Believe me we are not supposing TO JOIN Russia
and Krasnodarsky kraj , so think of yourself as you became a remote state of THE USA , but we do not care about it , it is youir choice m and as a ever poor choice .
———————–
Unfortunately I see this trend and that’s why I am worried. Russia has occupied Abkhazia and if you are happy with it, I really do not see the point of your fight independence.
———-Of Course you wanted us to be the part of Georgai and be occupied with Georgia ?
This is what is behind your words .
But the train has gone , with you , so try to be patient . Live your own democratic life and follow the principles of it , why not /
All should be free in this world .
Not only Georgia .
————————–
THe times have changed and today Abkhaz nation has better chances of preserving its culture and traditions with Georgia (with international guarantees) rather than with Russia. Look at your fellow cherkess, kabardinians, balkars, ossetians, adygs – they are all russified. Is that what you want? You have to make a choice.
—————–
Nika
Ye s, we see them , our dearest brothers of North Caucasus , I have not noticed any of them russified .
Even the Diaspora peole in Turkey were not assimilated and preserved their own identity under teh Turkish citizenship .
So all your concern is not sincere , first of all , if you do care about us so much why did you start the war ?
When Abkhaz peoplee offered Georgia to be a Federal state – you refised and sent tanks to us , and after the bloody war now YOU CINICALLY SAY ABOUT THE AGE OF THE GUYS WHO LIBERATED US FROM YOUR FASCISM !
Even heer , in this format you do not read what we write , you are stating your idea and this is a good example of what you are
Sorry .
#7 by Glenn on June 19, 2009 - 11:22 am
Georgia INVADED (STARTED THE WAR) Abkhazia in 14 August 1992.
The Georgian Commander-in-Chief on TV threatens the Abkhazian nation with genocide.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XzvtaZIMy98
A similar threat came from the head of Georgia’s wartime administration, Giorgi Khaindrava, on the pages of Le Monde Diplomatique in April 1993.
Goga (Giorgi) Khaindrava, told the correspondent from Le Monde Diplomatique that “there are only 80,000 Abkhazians, which means that we can easily and completely destroy the genetic stock of their nation by killing 15,000 of their youth. And we are perfectly capable of doing this.”
December 14, 1992
Georgian troops in the village of Lata shoot down a MI-8 helicopter with 60 passengers, including women and children, all of whom perish.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8WwHRJdWUzw
See at the photos of the CHILDREN AND WOMEN END OF THE VIDEO.
If you go to Abkhazia, try to visit Abkhazian state museum and war museum. You will see also there.
PS. But please don’t try to come like in 1992. Please leave your fascist sould and weapons while coming.
#8 by Glenn on June 19, 2009 - 11:42 am
Maybe Nika can tell us…
Who (and WHY) torched (after cherry-picking) the Abkhazian Research Institute and Abkhazian national library?
Maybe below links can help…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7lcNIQ6fhcU
http://www.opendemocracy.net/democracy-caucasus/abkhazia_archive_4018.jsp
http://www.iwpr.net/?p=crs&s=f&o=161411&apc_state=henicrs2002
If Hitler’s alive, he prefers to live in Georgia.
#9 by Sanne on June 19, 2009 - 12:39 pm
@Abkhazia – my love
haha, yes you’ve misunderstood me. Georgia have limitless credit in the west. so, even if they send a nuclear bomb to abkhazia, the west will keep their silence. even it will not surprise if they accuse abkhazia
but they will not find nobody in abkhazia after nuclear bomb 
don’t take it serious
#10 by Abkhazia - my love on June 22, 2009 - 7:16 am
to sanna
I misunderstood you , but now I do not like your joke .
It is not to laugh at such ridiculous things .
Sorry
#11 by to abkhaz brothers on June 22, 2009 - 10:09 pm
mistakes were from both sides, military crinimals, and all types of criminals just made people suffer, and we all suffer from their deeds, georgia as a country, georgian people, and our brothers abkhazians.
i truly beleive that there is no wall between us except russia, which keeps us separate. georgians are not facists definitely. This is imbeded feeling towards georgians by russia i think. look at tbilisi, in old town of gerogian catipal u have christian churches, muslim mosques, sinagog, u have armenians, jews, azerbaijanis, kurds, russians, and other nationalities living together. if were facists, so we should be facists for everybody. BUt this is not true.
about Karkarashvili’s statement, this video is not full. and this statements comes from this story: there was exchange of military prisoner on the brigde. So, in the end from the abkhaz side was a shoot which killed the last georgian prisoners coming on the brigde. thus in this context karkarashvili said, if every georgians kills every abkhaz, this means that we can completely destroy abkhazians. nowadays nobody remembers full story, but only the last phrase. so, we should live together in peace, but without russia
) in, but with.
#12 by Abkhazia - my love on June 23, 2009 - 10:24 am
Nika
I sent you the reply but as I see now it is not published yet .
As for the statement of yours about our living together , which is absolutely fantastic nowadays and in teh future one is not able to see when such could happen /
After all your side demonstrated on 8 . 8 . 08 . it is a bit hard to predict when the Abkhaz or moreover Osetians will change their attitude to these aggressive acts throught so meany yeras.
Regarding the problem of the victims
who has more and less , and again you are lying giving the world wrong info as usual as ever you have done , but as I said before , all you do against of us then it turned against of you as a bumerangue
so this is a law of life . As for the russification , or assimilation , why do you care of us so much /
This is not understandable , 17 years ago the Georgian bandits invaded Abkhazia to clean it from Abkhazians and now you are worrying about our being ?
This is even ridiculous .
#13 by Abkhazia - my love on June 23, 2009 - 10:30 am
to the so called abkhaz brothers
I dont think that between us there is Russia
and when you started the war against us
it was not Russia who asked you to do it , as last year .
Did Putin ordered Saakashvili to bomb and shell Tskhinval at night ?
So dont shift your mistakes and your crimes on the orthers
The one who started the first is guilty , and if we defended ourselves and fought with you not because someon told us , but because you came with a war to our houses and our souls .
Regarding Karkarashvili
I was heer at that time in the ocupied Sukhum and I saw him with my own eyes
and if you start now defending this war criminal , even if life made him an invalid , no matter , he has the respocibility for all his actions and his place isin the prison .
#14 by Nika on June 24, 2009 - 9:14 am
ablhazia, Please answer only this question. If Georgians are fascists and wanted to kill all the Abkhaz, why did not they do it in 1992-1993, when all abkhaz territory except Gudauta was under Georgian control? Aren’t 13 months enough to carry out ethnic cleansing and genocide? and also please answer how did russians manage to carry out ethnic cleansing of Georgians in Tskhinvali region in 3 days. And please stop talking about 8.8.08 because you do not know the full story and are brainwashed by russian propaganda.
#15 by Abkhazia - my love on June 24, 2009 - 2:03 pm
Nika
you are washed by Saakshvili propaganda
I do not understand your question , or do you realize what you are asking me about ?
Ask Karkarashvili who is sitting now in wheel chair and what did he want to do ?
Ask Haindrava Georgy how he imagined to make a total genocide of teh Abkhaz nation ?
You did nt tolerate the minority of us on our own land , and now you are asking how it happened that you could not kill all of us ?
What a terrible naturte you are having /
Are you a human being or an animal /
Abkhazia was not fully occupied ih that yeras , From Gagra you run so fast and ask Karkarashvili how was he escaping , Tkvarchal was unedr your siege but it was not occupied though bombed every day.
The village of Ochamchira you could not put your nose to either were free though under your threat .
Why you could not win the war /
Because never in your history you could fight and you were the historical cowards .
Because Abkhazia and Soth Osetia are not your native land .
This is the law of life .
#16 by Glenn on June 25, 2009 - 8:30 am
Nika, i strongly recommend you read my writings but please AGAIN and AGAIN. I think you have no enough capacity to understand.
First of all, you should apologize from all Abkhazia(ns) for your FASCIST acts – for your Georgianization campaign, for STARTED the war against to Abkhazians.
We are tired from Georgia’s FASCIST policy.
I remember Bechhofer. C. Bechhofer, an English diplomat, characterized the government of the “democratic” Georgian state that had already occupied Abkhazia at that moment as follows: “The free and independent social-democratic State of Georgia will always remain in my memory as a classic imperialist body, that is characterized with territory-snatching outside and bureaucratic tyranny inside; its chauvinism is beyond all bounds”. [C.E. Bechhofer. In Denikin's Russia and the Caucasus. 1919-1920. London. 1921, p. 14.]
Second, you should try to choose (with a NORMAL election – no Rose or daisy revolution) a NORMAL leader. I know it’s difficult for Georgia but you should try.
I don’t remember ANY normal elected president in Georgia. Is anybody know?
Third: Georgia must leave their FASCIST policy against to neighbours.
And last – read this again and again. Maybe 1000 could be enough for your understand.
ABKHAZIA IS NOT GEORGIA
ABKHAZIA IS ABKHAZIA!!!
#17 by Glenn on June 25, 2009 - 8:35 am
Georgia-Russia war: EU blames Saakashvili
A majority of EU experts say the Georgian president, and not the Kremlin, ordered the first military strike against two breakaway provinces, according to the documents obtained by German news magazine Der Spiegel. The Georgian offensive into South Ossetia and Abkhazia escalated into a five-day war with Russia that the powerful neighbor won.
http://www.upi.com/Emerging_Threats/2009/06/19/Georgia-Russia-war-EU-blames-Saakashvili/UPI-41361245420173/
—
EU Probe Creates Burden for Saakashvili
By Uwe Klussmann
Unpublished documents produced by the European Union commission that investigated the conflict between Georgia and Moscow assign much of the blame to Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili. But the Kremlin and Ossetian militias are also partly responsible.
http://www.spiegel.de/international/world/0,1518,630543,00.html
—
Let me know if your president wants tie. I can send my Giorgi Armani tie…
#18 by Marcel on July 2, 2009 - 9:19 pm
I would like to point out that Kosovo isn’t an independent country either.
For centuries the bloodthirsty Ottoman Empire occupied and oppressed Serbia, then Kosovar (Albanian) and Bosnian muslims allied with the Nazis to try and exterminate the Serbians, and of course the muslims also engineered the Yugoslavian civil war and Kosovo war which most of us have lived to see.
Serbia only defended itself against the continuance of centuries of terror against them by islam (the most murderous ideology of all time and the enemy of freedom and democracy).
Do not believe anything the pro-EU (anti-democracy) and pro-islam (anti-jewish) press tells you.
#19 by Abkhazia - my love on July 3, 2009 - 1:58 pm
tHE WAY OUT WHICH IS VERY NICE FOR ALL
IS FOR THE USA TO RECOGNISE ABKHAZIA
AS SOON AS POSSIBLE
#20 by Abkhazia - my love on July 8, 2009 - 9:42 am
REPRESENTATIVES OF ABKHAZIA NOT GRANTED VISAS TO GERMANY TO “PEACE CAMP” ORGANIZED BY COUNCIL OF EUROPE
From July 5 till July 12 in Germany the Council of Europe has organized Youth “Peace Camp” on conflicts settlement and transformation. Young men and women from Abkhazia could not go to the camp because of difficulties with visas.
According to the co-director of the Sukhum house of youth Aida Ladariya, two months ago for the first time Abkhazia was offered to take part in a meeting organized by the Council of Europe in cooperation with the German “Europa Park”. Representatives from Palestine, Cyprus, Northern Cyprus, Georgia, Abkhazia and South Ossetia should have taken part in this camp.
“We were glad to be invited as it gave a chance to the Abkhaz youth to be heard by the international community. Unfortunately, the world hears only one side of the conflict, namely Georgia”, Aida Ladariya said.
http://www.abkhaziagov.org/en/news/detail.php?ID=20370