Experts discuss Smyrba’s idea of Georgian-Abkhaz Confederation

Batumi ex-Mayor Aslan Smyrba said yesterday that he was negotiating formation of the Georgian-Abkhaz Confederation with Abkhaz Prime Minister Leonid Lakerbaya. Realization of the initiative will be clear after the Georgian presidential polls of October 27.

He noted that 80% of the issue had been settled. Although Smyrba added that he was unaware whether the Georgian government was informed about his plans or not.

Georgy Kalatozishvili, an expert of Vestnik Kavkaza, said that his confederation idea was nonsense. Smyrba, referring to his contacts with ex-head of the Abkhaz Presidential Administration Valery Arshba and ex-Foreign Minister Sergey Shamba, said that he had organized a meeting between a high-ranking Abkhaz official and Georgian Foreign Minister Vano Merabishvili to discuss formation of a confederation.

Kalatozishvili confirmed that the meeting in Trabzon had been held, but Abkhazia had used it to hint readiness for compromise with Georgia, unless Russia stops pressing on Abkhazia in such topics as return of apartments to Russians who had left Abkhazia before recognition of its independence, lift of the ban for purchase of real estate in Abkhazia by Russians.

The expert said that any Georgian authority will have to insist on return of Georgian refugees to Abkhazia and any no Abkhaz authority would agree on such precondition for settlement of the conflict. Kalatozishvili assumes that Smyrba was dishonest and his information was provocative.