Ethnic Georgians must recognize jurisdiction of Abkhazia to visit Sukhum

Ethnic Georgians can visit Sukhum only if they recognize the jurisdiction of Abkhazia, Chairman of the Abkhazian State Security Service General Givi Agrba has told journalists. On June 18, CIS Peacekeeping Forces Commander Lieutenant-General Aleksandr Yevteev reported on the request made by residents of Upper Kodori to be allowed to visit Sukhum after the reconstruction of the road connecting Sukhum, Lower Kodori, and Verkhnyaya Lata. The upper part of the Kodori Gorge where Svans (ethnic Georgians) live is under the jurisdiction of the Georgian authorities. The question of Svans' visits to Sukhum has been brought up during Georgian-Abkhazian meetings many times, Givi Agrba noted. But when the Abkhazian side demanded that Svans should recognize the Abkhazian authority, they abandoned their intentions.

"The villagers' wish to visit Sukhum is quite understandable, especially in the situation when residents of mountain villages are deprived of proper medical care and consumer goods," Mr Agrba said. "But these trips will be possible only when Svans become full citizens of our republic just like Georgians living in different towns and villages of Abkhazia and enjoying rights determined by the Constitution of the Republic of Abkhazia."