Abkhazia to ask Russia to recognise independence: parliament

Source: AFP

SUKHUMI, Georgia (AFP) — Georgia's separatist region of Abkhazia is to launch a formal appeal Wednesday for Russia to recognise it as an independent country, the deputy speaker of Abkhazia's parliament told AFP.

"The people of Abkhazia intend to ask the Russian leadership to recognise Abkhazia," said the rebel republic's deputy speaker Vyacheslav Tsugba.

On Wednesday Abkhazia's parliament will consider an independence appeal to the Russian leadership by the region's leader Sergei Bagapsh, Tsugba said.

On Thursday a broad assembly with representatives of all the region's political parties and movements will meet on a square in the centre of the capital Sukhumi to finally approve the appeal, he said.



Read more: http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5hwWoKx49cFpiPwZh34r2Xnj77uxA

I don't think that's a precedent they want to set after siding with Serbia over the West allowing Kosovo to go independent; it would very much undercut their claim that Kosovar independence is illegal. Plus Moscow hardly wants to encourage their own separatist minority regions, not least of which is Chechnya.

I think Russia would be happy for South Ossetia and Abkhazia to go back to 'frozen/unresloved conflict' status for the time being.

It will piss a lot of people off, and cause a lot of trouble, that is true. There are a whole bunch of 'frozen/unresloved conflicts'. They are everywhere. The Chinese won't like it at all. But there is a great deal of hypocrisy on this subject, and the subject of self-determination of peoples. It might be worth it to stake out the high ground.

To ask strongly implies, in my opinion, a desire for the request to be made.

It'll make Sochi "safer" for 2014, and stick it to Georgia while making it impossible for the OSCE to officially care. It'll spank the west, but the outcome won't matter; Russia's insouciance will be the important point for this bit of the play. It will make the West's calculations harder, and many will immediately say, "Ah, it's done--there's nothing to do, but here's something important--did you hear what my favorite politician said about the politicians I don't like?"

There will be no Abkhaz passports, just Russian; everything important will be done in Russian. In other words, nobody will see a difference on the ground.

What happens in that corner of the world will make absolutely no practical difference to anybody. Until, of course, it makes a big difference, and nobody will have seen *that* coming.

Now, about that last picture of my favorite politician ...