Abkhaz diaspora in Turkey calls for recognition of Abkhazia's independence – or at least Abkhaz passports
A campaign urging the Turkish government to review its policy towards Abkhazia is gathering momentum in Turkey. Organised by the local Abkhaz diaspora, it calls on Ankara to recognise Abkhaz identity documents and establish direct sea and air links with Abkhazia.
Most countries, including Turkey, support UN and European Union resolutions that describe Abkhazia as part of Georgia’s territory under Russian occupation.
Russia recognised Abkhazia and South Ossetia as independent states after the August 2008 war with Georgia over South Ossetia, also known as the Tskhinvali region.
Besides Russia, the independence of the two regions is currently recognised only by Nicaragua, Venezuela, Nauru and Syria.
An estimated 500,000 ethnic Abkhazians live in Turkey. Representatives of the community are urging Turkish citizens to submit petitions through the Turkish Presidency’s Communication Centre, calling on the government to recognise the Republic of Abkhazia.
As an initial step, they are asking Ankara to recognise Abkhaz passports as valid travel and identity documents, and to establish direct sea and air links between Turkey and Abkhazia.
According to the organisers, the campaign aims to draw attention to what they describe as the humanitarian consequences of Abkhazia’s isolation, arguing that it restricts residents’ rights to freedom of movement, education, healthcare and maintaining family ties.
The organisers say the campaign is open not only to members of Caucasian communities in Turkey, but to all Turkish citizens who support the protection of human rights.
In an explanatory note, the organisers point to existing international precedents, citing Taiwan as an example.
“Despite the ‘One China’ policy, relations with Taiwan are maintained through de facto representative offices. Air services operate on the basis of technical arrangements and commercial agreements between Turkey’s Directorate General of Civil Aviation and Taiwan’s aviation authorities, without the need for formal intergovernmental treaties,” the document says.
Addressing the International Civil Aviation Organization’s restrictions on flights to Abkhazia, the campaign’s organisers argue that Turkey could instead follow the model used for flights to the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, which, like Abkhazia, has only limited international recognition.
On 4 July, the initiative received backing from Turkey’s Labour Party, which published a statement on its official platforms calling for an end to Abkhazia’s isolation and endorsing the diaspora’s demands.
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Abkhaz in Turkey call for recognition of Abkhaz passports
