Georgian experts and authorities differ in treating Abkhazian election

The government of Georgia and the community of experts differ in estimating the presidential election held in Abkhazia on December 12. The Ministry for Foreign Affairs (MFA) of Georgia made a statement, calling the presidential election in Abkhazia "a farce".

"It is impossible to find any justification to the action, when ethnic cleanings had been regularly conducted in this territory of Georgia, as a result of which three quarters of the indigenous population were driven away, and their property was alienated or plundered. As a result, the Georgians, Ukrainians, Armenians, Greeks, Azerbaijanis, Estonians and others nationals, expelled from the territory of Abkhazia, are now deprived of the right to define the future of their homeland. In these conditions, any 'elections' are not just a priori void, but also blasphemous," runs the MFA's statement.

The stand of President Mikhail Saakashvili was announced at the briefing on December 10 by Manana Mandzhgaladze, press speaker of the President.

"As to the so-called 'election' in Abkhazia, which already has no separatist regime and which has transformed just into occupied territory, the President believes that the Kremlin has completely ruined the elements of autonomy in Abkhazia, and the staging of this comedy by Russia is immoral," she said.

However, many experts would not agree that in Abkhazia the Kremlin has liquidated all the elements of autonomy.

Thus, Mamuka Areshidze, a political scientist and expert for the Caucasus, who is representing the Georgian "Club of Independent Experts", believes that the election held in Abkhazia reflected the moods of the population; and the victory of Sergey Bagapsh was predefined.

The expert has emphasized that, in his opinion, Abkhazia saw a true political contest among the candidates.

Another political scientist - Paata Zakareishvili - believes that the Abkhazia election gave one important result: "Yes, the world community would not recognize Abkhazia as a subject of the international law. However, the de facto elected president will represent Abkhazia at negotiations both with international institutes and with Georgian leadership. At least, we can be sure that we talk with the person, who really represents the interests of the present population of Abkhazia and who affects the situation in this breakaway republic."

As to the chances of any "warm-up" in Abkhazian-Georgian relations after the presidential election in the former, all Georgian experts were highly sceptical.