Abkhazia’s Foreign Ministry has expressed concerns about unveiling a NATO information centre in the Kodori Gorge, concerned by Georgia’s increasing military presence.

Below is an article published by ITAR TASS

The Foreign Ministry of Georgia’s breakaway republic of Abkhazia urges Tbilisi to refrain “from any moves in the upper part of the Kodori gorge, that could trigger political tension”, a ministry statement said on Thursday [02 August 2007] in connection with the unveiling of a NATO information centre in the upper part of the gorge.

According to the foreign ministry, “the opening of a NATO information centre in the upper part of the Kodori gorge testifies to an invariable bid of the Georgian side to build up and maintain military presence in that part of Abkhazia, ignoring recommendations of participants in the Georgian-Abkhazian negotiating process”.

It believes that “Georgia’s actions openly demonstrate a bid to continue a policy of provocations and intimidation, as well as destabilization of the region, which is gradually embarking on the path of a peaceful economic development ahead of the 2014 Winter Olympic Games”.

Abkhazia urges all participants in the negotiations, as well as NATO “to give a proper estimate to moves of the Georgian side, which are at variance with principles and conditions of the Georgian-Abkhazian peace process”.