Abkhazia asks Moscow to treat Abkhaz deputies with respect

Russian border guards detain Abkhazian deputies

A parliamentary delegation of Abkhazia, returning home from Moscow, was detained and carefully searched by Russian border guards.

In the Russian Duma, representatives of the People’s Assembly held consultations with their Russian colleagues on problems with ratification of the agreement to transfer the Pitsunda estate to Russia.

The Abkhaz deputies had gone to report that the document, in the form in which it was signed, could not be ratified as it contained an error having to do with the precise amount of land extending into the sea to be transferred. Another sticking-point, according to the head of the Committee on Legislation of the People’s Assembly Alkhas Bartsits, and which “confuses our entire population,” is the notion of transferring the estate to a third party.

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In the Duma, the Abkhazian side was invited to “consider the possibility of ratifying the agreement in its current form with the simultaneous adoption of a resolution of the RA People’s Assembly, which will fix the need to finalize the agreement, in terms of adjusting the coordinates of the territory to be transferred and adding a clause on the impossibility of transferring it to third parties.” Simply put, to ratify the agreement with the errors therein, but also an addendum recognizing these errors.

The Abkhazian delegation evaded this offer from their Russian counterparts, saying that they needed additional consultations with lawyers at home.

When they reached the Russian-Abkhazian border, the deputies were detained by Russian border guards, who arranged for them to be searched.

The next day, the deputies made a statement and appealed to the Foreign Minister of Abkhazia, Inal Ardzinba, who then held a meeting with Russian Ambassador Mikhail Shurgalin.

Ardzinba told the Russian ambassador that the detention of deputies is not an isolated incident. There are numerous complaints from Abkhazians about being detained without explanation by Russian border guards when crossing.

“We ask our people’s deputies and fellow citizens to be treated with respect,” Inal Ardzinba said.

Ardzinba also said that in the near future a note would be sent to the Russian Foreign Ministry with a request to respond to these incidents.

Russian border guards detain Abkhazian deputies

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