GEORGIA HOPES FOR BOSNIA-TYPE OPERATION IN ABKHAZIA.

In his New Year’s address to the country and a follow-up news conference for foreign and national media, President Eduard Shevardnadze stated that "failing significant progress soon" toward a political settlement of the Abkhaz conflict, he would call for an international "peace enforcement operation in Abkhazia on the Bosnian model." The Russian operation did stop the combat almost four years ago, but has since failed to facilitate the return of Georgian expellees and a political resolution of the conflict, Shevardnadze pointed out. He said he would raise this issue at the upcoming summit of the Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council and would also turn to the "Friends of Georgia" group of Western countries, the OSCE, the UN, and the CIS for more active support in 1998.

Shevardnadze outlined a timetable for the full restoration of Georgia’s territorial integrity until the year 2000, within his current term of office. He also renewed the long-standing offer of autonomy for Abkhazia and South Ossetia within the framework of a federalized Georgia. (Georgian radio, Prime-News, Russian agencies, December 31-January 3)

As the mediator between Abkhazia and Georgia’s central government, Moscow has condoned Abkhazia’s rejection of a federal solution. Last July and December the leading Western powers, acting as observers, attended two rounds of Russian-mediated negotiations and accepted Russia into the Friends of Georgia group, renaming the latter "the Friends of the UN Secretary General." Furthermore, Washington and other Western capitals have advised Georgia against exercising its right to terminate the Russian "peacekeeping" operation. Western verbal support for, and economic involvement in, Georgia are growing, but are not yet being matched by effective diplomatic support, let alone by readiness to organize a genuine peacekeeping operation any time soon.

___________________________________________________________________________________________

The Monitor is a publication of the Jamestown Foundation. It is researched and written under the direction of Senior Analysts Elizabeth Teague, Vladimir Socor, Stephen Foye, and Analysts Igor Rotar, Douglas Clarke, Ben Slay, Peter Rutland, and Sally Cummings.

If you would like information on subscribing to the Monitor, or have any comments, suggestions or questions, please contact us by e-mail at <host@jamestown.org>, by fax at 202-483-8337, or by postal mail at The Jamestown Foundation, 1528 18th Street NW, Washington, DC 20036.

Unauthorized reproduction or redistribution of the Monitor is strictly prohibited by law.

The Monitor is a publication of the Jamestown Foundation. It is researched and written under the direction of senior analysts Jonas Bernstein, Vladimir Socor, Stephen Foye, and analysts Ilya Malyakin, Oleg Varfolomeyev and Ilias Bogatyrev. If you have any questions regarding the content of the Monitor, please contact the foundation. If you would like information on subscribing to the Monitor, or have any comments, suggestions or questions, please contact us by e-mail at pubs@jamestown.org, by fax at 301-562-8021, or by postal mail at The Jamestown Foundation, 4516 43rd Street NW, Washington DC 20016. Unauthorized reproduction or redistribution of the Monitor is strictly prohibited by law. Copyright (c) 1983-2002 The Jamestown Foundation Site Maintenance by Johnny Flash Productions