posted by circassiankama on March, 2009 as Abkhazia
Russia’s plan in Abkhazia worries Nato
By James Blitz in London
Published: January 29 2009 02:01 | Last updated: January 29 2009 02:01
Nato
member states are concerned by Russia’s decision to build a naval base
in the breakaway territory of Abkhazia, a move which the alliance
believes would further underline Moscow’s violation of Georgia’s
sovereignty.
Although Russia and Nato have seen a gradual
improvement in relations in recent weeks, Jaap de Hopp Scheffer, Nato’s
secretary-general is set to raise the issue when he meets Sergei
Ivanov, the Russian deputy prime minister, next week.
Nato
member states became concerned about this issue after Russian media
reported on Monday that Russia would start building a naval base this
year in the Abkhaz port of Ochamchira, a step Tbilisi said would
violate its sovereignty.
The issue was on Wednesday discussed at
the regular weekly meeting of Nato ambassadors in Brussels. Several
nations expressed concern about the move and the fact that it would
deepen perceptions that the secession of Abkhazia and South Ossetia
from Georgia last August is now irreversible.
“Nato allies have
made their position clear on Georgia’s territorial integrity and that
includes all of Georgia’s recognised borders,” said James Appathurai,
Nato spokesman. “They have seen the press reports suggesting Russia
might build bases in Abkhazia and South Ossetia and they view them with
concern.”
Some analysts have long argued that Russia’s invasion
of Georgia last August was partly motivated by strategic military
considerations.
Russia’s navy has a warm water port at
Sevastopol in Crimea but the lease on this from Ukraine is set to run
out in 2017. “The Russians need a warm water port. They see the
realistic possibility that they are going to lose the Crimea and that
may be motivating what they are doing in Abkhazia,” a diplomat from a
Nato country said on Wednesday night.
The RIA Novosti news
agency reported earlier this week that Abkhazia and Russia have an
agreement in principle on opening a base this year for ships from
Russia’s Black Sea Fleet at the Abkhaz port of Ochamchira.
Abkhaz
leader Sergei Bagapsh said “threats of subversive acts by Georgia” are
pushing Russia and Abkhazia to accelerate talks on the base, the
state-run news service reported.
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