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Abkhazian
authorities agree to exchange five Georgian fishermen from the Georgian seine
ship captured in the sea in the beginning of April for five Abkhazian servicemen
held by the Georgian side, but are definitely against liberating three Georgian
guerillas, imprisoned in Gali region. As
deputy chief of the regional police department of Samegrelo (Zemo Svaneti) Tamaz
Alania declared, the Abkhazian side states that the three guerillas, kept
presently in Sukhumi isolator, are criminals and killers who must answer for
their crimes. Meanwhile, commander
of the Georgian guerilla detachment “Forest Brothers” acting on the
Abkhazian territory David Shengelia flatly objects against an exchange of five
Abkhazian soldiers, captured by his fighters, for the Georgian fishermen. In a telephone interview to the agency Prime-News Shengelia
told that he would exchange Abkhazians only for the detained guerilla fighters
and that the Georgian leadership is responsible for solving the issue of
releasing the Georgian seiner’s crew through its own channels. The commander of “Forest Brothers” is convinced
that ultimately he will succeed to reach an agreement with the Abkhazian side on
the exchange of the Abkhazian servicemen, kept captive in his detachment, for
the imprisoned guerillas. At
present time, David Shengelia is receiving a treatment course outside the
country but in a week’s time already he will be back to Georgia.
Furthermore,
chairman of the pro-Georgian Supreme Council of Abkhazia, in exile, Tamaz
Nadareishvili forecasts active mobilization of guerilla movement on the
territory of Abkhazia and explains this prospect with a stagnation in the
negotiation process for peace settlement of the conflict.
Tamaz Nadareishvili stated that “very soon people will become
completely disappointed with the state’s ability to solve the Abkhazian
problem and will take up arms themselves, and there will be thousands of such
volunteers.” According to
him, Abkhazian side does not compromise and the latest proof to that is the
refusal to exchange by principle “all for all” the three Georgian guerillas,
being held in Sukhumi for three weeks, and five Georgian fishermen for five
Abkhazian servicemen, imprisoned by “Forest Brothers” detachment.
In his words, the absence of a real state policy does not allow to
discuss possible terms of bringing Abkhazia back under Tbilisi’s jurisdiction.
“Had there been such a policy this would happen in two-three months,”
said Nadareishvili. He declared
that he advocates providing Abkhazia with expanded federative rights.
In order to settle the consequences of the armed conflict of 1992-1993,
Nadareishvili considers it is obligatory that international organizations
recognize the genocide and ethnic cleansing of the Georgian population in
Abkhazia and that “more exact” talks are held with Russia.
In the words of Tamaz Nadareishvili, the latter, in particular, concerns
the issue of Gudauti military base, which by the decision of OSCE Istanbul
Summit of 1999 has to be dismantled by 1 July 2001.
“In reality, however, only the sign will be changed and Russian
paratroopers will keep this base for themselves, while Abkhazians, as before,
will feel comfortable behind their bayonets,” he remarked.
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