Georgian-Abkhazian conflict

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The Georgian-Abkhaz conflict refers to the ethnic conflict between Georgians and Abkhaz (allegedly supported by Russia) in Georgia’s Autonomous Republic of Abkhazia (Аҧснытәи Автономтәи Республика in Abkaz, აფხაზეთის ავტონომიური რესპუბლიკა in Georgian) peaked in 1992–1993.

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Events

Primary parties involved

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[edit] War in Abkhazia

Main article: War in Abkhazia

It involved a 13-month long Abkhazian war with Georgian government forces and militia made of ethnic Georgians who lived in Abkhazia on one side and separatist forces made of ethnic Abkhazians, Armenians and Russians who also lived in Abkhazia on the other side. The separarists were supported by the North Caucasian and Cossack militants and (unofficially) by Russian forces stationed in Gudauta.

[edit] Resumption of hostilities

In April–May, 1998, the conflict escalated once again in the Gali District when several hundreds of Abkhaz forces entered the villages still populated by Georgians support the separatist-held parliamentary elections. Despite the criticism from opposition, Eduard Shevardnadze, President of Georgia, refused to deploy troops against Abkhazia. A ceasefire was negotiated on May 20. The hostilities resulted in hundreds of casualties form both sides and additional 20.000 Georgian refugees.

In October 2001, around 400 Chechen fighters and 80 Georgian guerillas appeared in the Kodori Valley in extremely controversial conditions. The Chechen-Georgian paramilitaries advanced as far as Sukhumi, but finally were repelled by Abkhaz and Gudauta based Russian peacekeepers. There have been some concerns (in both Tbilisi and Sukhumi) that Chechen attacks in the Kodori Gorge were a military escapade organized by certain Georgian authorities.[citation needed]

[edit] Current status

The conflict, one of the bloodiest in the post-Soviet area, remains unresolved. The Georgian government offered a large autonomy to Abkhazia several times. However, both Abkhaz government and opposition refuse any forms of union with Georgia. Abkhaz consider their independence as a result of liberation war against Georgian aggression, while Georgians believe the conflict to be a patriotic war to retain sovereignty and integrity of Georgia. Many accuse Eduard Shevardnadze’s government in initiation of a senseless hostilities, and then in ineffective conduction of the war and post-war diplomacy.

The new Georgian government of President Mikhail Saakashvili promises not to use force and to resolve the problem only by diplomacy and political talks.

While at a summit of CIS it was decided to exclude any contacts with separatists, the trans-border economical cooperation and transport between Abkhazia and Russia grows in scale, with Russia claiming that all this is a matter of private business, rather than state.[citation needed] Georgia also decries the unlimited issuing of Russian passports in Abkhazia with subsequent payment of retirement pensions and other monetary benefits by Russia, which Georgia considers to be economical support of separatists by Russian government.[citation needed]

In May 2006 the Coordinating Council of Georgia’s Government and Abkhaz separatists was convened for the first time since 2001. [1] In late July the 2006 Kodori crisis erupted resulting in establishment of de jure Government of Abkhazia in Kodori. For the first time after the war, this government is located in Abkhazia and headed by Malkhaz Akishbaia, Temur Mzhavia and Ada Marshania. [2]

[edit] Timeline

  • 1989, Interethnic tension
  • July 15–July 17, 1989 first armed clashes between the representatives of the Abkhazian and Georgian
  • December 1991 – January 1992, ethnic violence in former South Ossetia Autonomous Oblast and military confrontation after coup d’etat in Tbilisi
  • June 1992, Abkhaz separatists attacked the government buildings in Sukhumi
  • July 23, 1992, separatist members of the Abkhazian government declared independence of the region, no international recognition followed. Anti-governmental diversions made by several so-called “Zviadist” armed groups in Abkhazia.
  • August 14, 1992, Georgian police and National Guards units dispatched to protect railways and restore an order in Abkhazia. The fights broke out.
  • August 18, 1992, a secessionist government left Sukhumi. Georgian government forces managed to take control of most of Abkhazia.
  • September 3, 1992, a ceasefire was negotiated in Moscow
  • October 2 Abkhaz and CMPC forces attacked the town of Gagra. With the fell of the town, the majority of the Georgian population was either executed, or expelled.
  • December 1992, rebels began shelling of Georgian-held Sukhumi.
  • March 4, 1993, Eduard Shevardnadze, arrived in the capital of the region to take control over the defensive operations in the city.
  • March 14, 1993, Abkhaz and the Confederation forces launched a full-scale attack on Sukhumi resulting in large destruction and casualties among the civilians.
  • March 19, 1993, Georgian forces shot down a Russian aircraft SU-27.
  • May 14, 1993, ceasefire was signed, shortlived
  • July 2, one of the bloodiest in the war fought near the village Tamishi.
  • July 27, 1993 Russian-mediated ceasefire was again agreed in Sochi
  • September 16, ceasefire violated when separatist forces launched a large-scale offensive against Sokhumi,
  • September 27, fall of Sukhumi after fierce fighting

[edit] Notes

  1. ^ "UN Representative Says Abkhazia Dialogue Is Positive"
  2. ^ Tbilisi-Based Abkhaz Government Moves to Kodori, Civil Georgia, July 27 2006. URL accessed on 2007-07-28

[edit] Bibliography

  • Chervonnaia, Svetlana Mikhailovna. Conflict in the Caucasus: Georgia, Abkhazia, and the Russian Shadow. Gothic Image Publications, 1994.
  • Andersen, Andrew. "Russia Versus Georgia: One Undeclared War in the Caucasus." Published October 2001.
  • Lynch, Dov. The Conflict in Abkhazia: Dilemmas in Russian 'Peacekeeping' Policy. Royal Institute of International Affairs, February 1998.
  • MacFarlane, S., N. , “On the front lines in the near abroad: the CIS and the OSCE in Georgia’ s civil wars”, Third World Quarterly, Vol 18, No 3, pp 509- 525, 1997.
  • Marshania L. Tragedy of Abkhazia Moscow, 1996
  • White Book of Abkhazia. 1992-1993 Documents, Materials, Evidences. Moscow, 1993.
  • Heathe Blair. Ethnic Conflict as a Tool of Outside Influence: An Examination of Abkhazia and Kosovo. Yett Publishing, 2001
  • Amy McCallion, Abkhazian Separatism, New York, 1999

[edit] See also

[edit] External links

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