Aslan Bjania Comments on Georgian-Abkhaz Relations

‘Abkhazia and Georgia need a dual format of negotiations, aside from the Geneva Discussions’ – Aslan Bjania, the newly elected so-called president of the breakaway region told Russian news agency Ria Novosti.

“Whether we like it or not, Georgians and the Georgian state are our neighbors. Whether we want it or not, we have numerous contacts between Georgian and Abkhaz civilians. These are the people who cross the border regularly,” Bjania stated, and further stressed that there are a number of problems that need focusing on, problems that necessitate a two-sided format. “This doesn’t have to be a location like Geneva, which is so far. It can be held here, near the border,” said the so-called president.

(Author's note: Unlike his predecessors, Bjania has a tone of approachability, which can be a starting point of something exceptional. No one is expecting the so-called president of Abkhazia to dwell on pro-Georgian rhetoric. Although he has a chance to either be a continuous transactional leader, slowly dragging and enduring his economically wrought region with stoicism, or a transformational leader who can build a foundation of something which is a long-time forthcoming and is imminent. The genuine question is, which side of history will the de-facto leader side with, either blatantly or subtly.)  

By B.Alexishvili