GEORGIA’S SECESSIONIST REGIONS TOOK PART IN RUSSIAN REPUBLICS’ MEETING.

In a sharply worded note to Russia’s Foreign Ministry on February 13, Georgia’s Foreign Ministry protested against the Abkhaz and South Ossetian secessionist leaders’ participation in a meeting of the leaders of North Caucasus republics and regions of the Russian Federation. The Russian side, bypassing the Georgian government, had invited Vladislav Ardzinba and Lyudvig Chibirov to that meeting, which was held last week in Sochi. Russia’s First Deputy Prime Minister Vadim Gustov chaired the meeting, underscoring its official character, the Georgian note pointed out. The note described the proceedings as “turning into a self-styled trial of Georgia’s policies,” in yet another violation of the 1995 Almaty Memorandum on Maintaining Peace and Stability in the CIS and the 1996 Moscow decision on measures to settle the conflict in Abkhazia (Itar-Tass, February 12).

Adopted at CIS summits, both documents have been violated many times. The Almaty document obligates CIS countries to refrain from engaging in direct relations with “separatist” regimes on CIS countries’ territories. The Moscow document stipulates the same obligation with specific regard to Abkhazia. Nevertheless, Abkhazia and South Ossetia have participated several times, on invitations from Moscow, in meetings of the Russian Federation’s North Caucasus republics and regions. Such invitations are the more disturbing to Tbilisi because Abkhazia and South Ossetia make no secret of their desire, if given the opportunity, to join the Russian Federation.

GERMAN PROJECT IN TURKMENISTAN TO INCREASE GAS EXPORT.