Free Republic

MOSCOW — Information that the Abkhaz public is considering the possibility of joining Georgia is "nothing but bluff," President of the breakaway republic Sergey Bagapsh reported at a press conference. If Georgia has such convictions, Abkhaz-Georgian negotiations may not begin at all, Bagapsh added. He did not rule out that such propaganda was held in order to convince the world community of the fact that "the Abkhaz has become more compliant." Abkhazia is prepared to discuss only economic, energy, railway transportation and refugee problems with Georgia. The Abkhaz political status is not subject to discussion, Bagapsh underlined. /RosBusinessConsulting/

President of breakaway Abkhazia said in an interview with the Regnum news agency on March 4 that authorities of unrecognized republic will continue privatization process in Abkhazia, despite Tbilisi warnings that privatized assets will be confiscated after restoration of Georgia’s territorial integrity. “We will certainly continue privatization process and the new leadership [of Abkhazia] is undertaking particular measure in order to guarantee security of private property,” Bagapsh said without specifying the measures undertaken by authorities in Abkhazia. “Tbilisi’s concern regarding this issue is not surprising. We have no hopes that Tbilisi will be happy by Abkhazia’s rise from the ruins...

Summary Georgia has deployed more than 10,000 troops to the Tskhinvali region of South Ossetia. With dim prospects of North Ossetian aid reaching South Ossetia in time and Russia's unwillingness to interfere in Georgia's territorial battle, it is probable that Georgia is preparing to launch an attack and take advantage of this profitable situation to re-establish Tbilisi's control in South Ossetia once and for all. Additional intelligence of Chechen militants already stationed in South Ossetia implies the chances of sparking an armed conflict in the region are up. Analysis Interfax news agency reported the amassing of more than 10,000 Georgian...