[twitter style=”horizontal” source=”@intlpolitical” float=”left”][fbshare type=”button”]Neutral documents planned for the citizens of de-facto republics of Abkhazia and South Ossetia (Georgia) could be a positive step in the right direction. Twenty years of isolation and stigmatisation has not brought any constructive and progressive plan towards a solution. The initiatives and policies so far have contributed to soaring bellicosity rather than friendship and dialogue.
In fact, the parties and actors of the conflicts work towards restriction of free space and freedom. The travel limits and visa requirements make it impossible for ordinary citizens to enjoy the freedom of movement. The population of both Abkhazia and South Ossetia live in the shadow of Russian dominance, they can travel only to the Russian Federation and are deprived of the opportunity to go to other countries. It appears that those people do not live in the space of the UN Charter and Universal Declaration of the Human Rights. The neutral documents are simply a freedom of choice granted to those fellow citizens of Georgia who live in seclusion, the policies and perceptions of certain actors keep them as hostages of old political games. The documents will give access to the world of which they are a part.
Back in 2008 Russia claimed the R2P to defend the citizens of the breakaway regions from Georgian aggression, now when Georgia acts to help those people, Russians are obstructing. Subsequently, the comments of the Russian Foreign Ministry demonstrate the absence of any vibrant strategy towards the regions. In the modern world allocation of S-300 rockets and opening of the military bases does not solve the dilemmas. Indeed, the security is the precondition of economic success, but it is no more directly linked to tactical weapons. The population both in Abkhazia and South Ossetia need to tackle the isolation, they need education, healthcare and other basic rights to be realised. In fact, the neutral travel documents is what those people in-between the sovereignty and modernity need. This is what serves their best interest, rather than S-300 rockets or vague promises of various strongmen.
The reaction to the recognition of neutral documents for the citizens of de-facto states of Abkhazia and South Ossetia has caused critical outcry from Moscow. The stance with which the officials criticized the development is unsustainable. Labelling the initiative as the “provocative idea” is an old-fashioned approach of Cold War years. The neutral travel documents are targeting the very needs of the citizens living in an ideological cage of regimes endured by the Kremlin support. In the decentralising world with increased density, the weapons do not solve the societal problems, they are simply not enough to provide security. The radicalisation increases cleavages and supports further divisions, rather than reconciliation. Even if the Russian government considers the republics independent sovereign states in a de-sovereignising and globalising world, the people there must be allowed to have different vistas and outlooks. If the Kremlin is interested in solving the conflicts, why denounce integration of Abkhazians and Ossetians into the international community? There might be two reasons: internal policies of Russia or interest to keep the societies in the de-facto republic isolated forever. However, the ever-changing and globalising world and information exchange makes the task out-dated and simply impossible. The statement is lagging behind the time. The people of the unrecognised republics shall get more engagement with the rest of the world, the sooner it is acknowledged everywhere the better.
To summarise, when the political strategy brings more problems than it resolves, it must be amended on the reciprocal bases along with society. Why not to give a chance to the people to make their choices? If they would like to get a neutral document and travel to different destinations let them do it. Why not to give more chance to amity rather than stir up enmity among people
Abkhazians do not interest with those SO-CALLED Neutral passports.
Irakli Khintba’s statement below enough to say:
“Georgian representatives keep telling us that the purpose of the neutral passports is to end the isolation of the population of Abkhazia, to provide the Abkhaz with the opportunity to travel the world, and to protect their rights. That is a cynical lie,” Khintba said. “If the Tbilisi authorities are so concerned about our rights, then why have they tried all these years to suffocate us with an international blockade? Why do they try to curtail all our foreign contacts? Why do they keep trying to isolate us, why do they block economic projects which foreign partners propose to us? Why, when someone wants to cooperate with the Abkhaz authorities, does Tbilisi have a fit of hysterics? Why pass a law on occupied territories, which is unlawful, and very far from the European values, and according to which entering the territory of Abkhazia through the Psou checkpoint is a punishable crime? What kind of protection of citizens’ rights can the Georgian government talk about after all that?”
Irakli Khintba is convinced that “they want to force Abkhazia to accept the Georgian neutral passports after ensuring that citizens of Abkhazia cannot travel freely with any other document except such a passport.” “The Georgian authorities are doing everything to ensure that not a single country in the world will issue visas in our passports. That is why they are trying to force us to abandon our identity. But they will not succeed, I have faith in our people,” Khintba said.
http://abkhazworld.com/news/politics/874-the-us-decision-to-recognize-the-so-called-neutral-passports.html
If you care about freedom of Abkhazian people, why do not talk about recognition of Abkhazia? SO CALLED Neutral passport is a joke.
Why is it so difficult for Georgians to swallow their pride, apologize for the brutality, attempted genocide, forced assimilation practices, and other horrific crimes they committed against Abkhaz and Ossetians (among others, but we can talk about this another time) and recognize their sovereignty, thus allowing peace to honestly and freely take root in the region for once? We all know that these two nations were never constructively a part of modern day Georgia and it is shameful and even obnoxious of your people to continue to perpetuate these lies to the world at large. Even if you try to argue the “historical” aspect here, again, the history of Abkhaz and Ossetians (modern day descendants of Sarmatians and other warriors who fought with all great armies of medieval Europe, a fact that Europe itself has not forgotten) is too well known for people to take the Georgian version seriously. Even your benefactor (the US/NATO/Israel) scorns and laughs at you behind your backs (Georgian jokes are quite popular in Israel nowadays, and ask a typical American where the “country” of Georgia is on a map, see their response).
These so called “neutral documents” not only disrespect the memory of those who died fighting against Georgian oppression and extremism in the past, but also disrespects those who do not want anything to do with Georgia and are quite happy with building up their small democracy on the Black Sea coast. If Georgia truly respected and “loved their brethren” as they love to claim through social media and other means, then they should follow up on this claim and let their brothers live free and happy, away from their grip. We all know too well how such scenarios ended before. Sadly, it’s hard to determine whether these outlandish, superficial, and pointless “decisions” are coming from the Georgian government or another government. Georgians, do the right thing, recognize you are being lied to by your government about your history, stop trying to murder your neighbors, and recognize Abkhazia and Ossetia as free states!
какой ты примитивный в своих расуждениях и жалкий в своей попытке выставить грузию якобы посмешишем и призрнием в глазах сша\нато\израиля. Тебе и таким как ты откуда знать что думает и как на кого смотрят сша нато или израиль? а из-затаких как ты не смеются над нами абхазами?
Accusations, accusations and accusations is all you ever get to hear from the ‘Abkhaz’ and their soulless sponsors. Lest we forget that the MAJORITY of the population of Abkhazia and South Ossetia, the Georgians, have been ethnically cleansed from their ancestral lands? that was 20 years ago, what is preventing the ‘Abkhaz authorities’ from repatriating the original inhabitants of Abkhazia back to their homes? Does Khitinba realize that the Abkhaz will disappear under Russian fascist rule? In 10 years, will Abkhazia still be Abkhazi or will it be simply another Russian military base? The ‘Abkhaz authorities’, the Russians, the ‘South Ossetian’ authorities and other sons of b*tches have ABSOLUTELY NO MORAL OR LEGAL RIGHT to deny the Georgian refugees their homes. Fascism is what we are dealing with here, the only thing the Abkhaz and OSsetians lack is their own Hitler. Maybe Khitinba, who speaks more shameless propaganda than Goebbels, will fit Hitler’s role more?
In regards to Samuel the Armenian; bastards like you, who keep plotting the downfall of your neighbors, are digging their own graves.