From: MSN NicknameEagle_wng  (Original Message)    Sent: 12/19/2007 11:37 PM

To the President of the Republic of Abkhazia

Mr. Sergey Bagapsh

We are writing to you to share our concerns regarding the decision of the Russian Federation to open polling stations in Abkhazia and Ossetia for the parliamentary elections that will be held on 2 December 2007 in Russia. We think that this situation has challenged the attempts and efforts of the de facto independent republic of Abkhazia in getting de jure independence.

Abkhazia fought for its independence during the war against Georgia in 1992-93. Though Abkhazia won the war, Abkhazia was not given its de jure independence and was named as a separatist, as a result of the international politics that took place in the post-war period. Then, in 1999, Abkhazia declared its independence unilaterally and even Russia, which today puts ballot boxes into Abkhazian territories, has not recognized its independence. It did not also hesitate to put its signature under the UN Resolution, defining Abkhazia within the territorial integrity of Georgia. In this respect, we think that we should make a claim to the struggle of independence of the Republic of Abkhazia in a right way.

All these facts considered how Russia perceives Abkhazia per se and considers it in its foreign policy with respect to its current decision should be clearly explained. Since the end of the 1992-93 War, Russia has always trumped Abkhazia against Georgia and mainly been responsible for the embargo against Abkhazia, with the idea that, once required, it can claim the protection of its rights in Abkhazian territories and even annex them. By this way, Russia succeeded to make Abkhazian people dependent upon it and, thus, created a compulsion for them to get Russian citizenship as it was the only way to get rid of this isolation.

The fact that %90 of Abkhazian population carries Russian passport should be analyzed properly. To consider this compulsory choice of the Abkhazian people as their own wish to join the Russian Federation and give up their independence will just inadvertently help Russia's policies of back- door annexation. It should not be forgotten that this situation aroused as an outcome of the isolation and alienation policies resulted from the embargo. Consequently, getting Russian passport and citizenship realized as a result of a pragmatic way of thinking.

We expect the Abkhazian administration to give a reaction reflecting the will of the Abkhazian people against the so-called decision of the Russian Federation. It is an unquestionable fact that, the attendance of Abkhazia which declared its independence as a result of a referendum to the elections of another state- that is the Russian Federation- will give serious harms to its struggle for de jure independence. Since any state shall gather votes of its citizens who live abroad through its representative offices and consulates as a principle of international law, to support the decision of putting ballot boxes publicly in Abkhazia will mean nothing but the approval of the policies of those western countries and Georgia, which consider Abkhazian government as a separatist. As we are currently in a period of constant debates going over independence, this situation will cause the claims on some part of the Western media and Georgia that Abkhazia is a separatist to strengthen. This, thus, will unfortunately expose Abkhazia to more and more isolation in the international arena.

Considering the current situation and policies of the Russian Federation, we think that Russia is very far from aiming to support Abkhazia. It is the preferential demand of the "Caucasus Forum" that Russia should explain and clarify its real intent regarding its decision to put ballot boxes in Abkhazia and Abkhaz administration should not keep its silence against this decision.

CAUCASUS FORUM

http://www.kafkasyaforumu.org/aktuel_dumaelectioninabkhazia.htm