Opposition urges PM to withdraw recognition of Abkhazia

The Leader of the Opposition and a former Prime Minister, Edward Natapei, strongly urges the Prime Minister Sato Kilman and his Government to immediately cancel and withdraw its recognition of the so-called, independent state of the Republic of Abkhazia which is a break-away autonomous province of the Republic of Georgia on the eastern coast of the Black sea.

Natapei warned that if the current Government does not renegade from its agreement with Abkhazia the Opposition will terminate it when it re-enters government.

The former Prime Minister says this is because Abkhazia was made part of the republic of Georgia in 1930 which also included South Ossetia.

“After the disintegration of the Soviet Union in 1980 Abkhazia was an integral part of the Independent Republic of Georgia.

“Several wars have been fought over Abkhazia between Georgia and the Russian–backed militia in Abkhazia.

“The most recent war was in 2008 which also included another enclave, South Ossetia, which Georgian and Russian forces fought over and there were allegations of ethnic cleansing and the displacement of people.

“In 2006, the United Nations reaffirmed the commitment of al members states to the sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity of Georgia within its internationally recognized borders.

“The UN’s position has been that there will be not forcible change in international borders. Any settlement must be freely negotiated and based on autonomy for Abkhazia legitimized by referendum under international observation once the displaced multi-ethnic population has returned.”

The Leader of Opposition says the fact is that the majority of the world’s governments consider Abkhazia as part of Georgia’s territory but only Russia, Nicaragua, Venezuela and Nauru have recognized Abkhazia as an independent state. Now Vanuatu has joined to make a “gang of five”.

Natapei states that despite government’s claims, it was clear that the decision and the final agreement to recognized Abkhazia was not done in a transparent manner by the Prime Minister and his First political Advisor John Shing.

“It now appears that Foreign Affairs Department and Vanuatu’s Ambassador to the United Nations, and maybe even the Council of Ministers, were kept in total darkness regarding this diplomatic matter of some importance.”

The Opposition Leader expressed the concern that the current Government’s conduct of Vanuatu’s foreign and diplomatic relations is becoming laughable at the international level, and for this reason, he urges the Prime Minister and the Foreign Minister to seek advice and accurate information from the Vanuatu professional diplomats at the Headquarter in Port Vila and in Vanuatu’s Overseas Missions, to avoid causing further diplomatic embarrassment to the country and tarnishing the integrity and good reputation of Vanuatu globally.