ORSAM (CENTER FOR MIDDLE EASTERN STRATEGIC STUDIES) ABKHAZIA FOR THE INTEGRATION OF THE BLACK SEA
posted by circassiankama on December, 2009 as Abkhazia
ORSAM (CENTER FOR MIDDLE EASTERN STRATEGIC STUDIES)
ABKHAZIA FOR THE INTEGRATION OF THE BLACK SEA
The break-up of the Soviet Union had far-reaching
consequences on Turkey’s close neighborhood. The business minded
population of the Turkish Back Sea cities, helped by the geographical
and cultural proximity, started penetrating into their rediscovered
neighborhood. In the 90’s, Abkhazia rose as a major destination for
people and commodities originating from the Turkish Black Sea coast. A
bus connection was established between Trabzon and Sukhum. Some 3000
Turkish businessmen, most of them of ethnic Abkhazian origin, left in
the early 90’s for Sukhum. The establishment of a direct maritime
connection between Sukhum and Trabzon in 1994 sustained a continuous
flow of passengers. A ferry called Ritza operates twice a week between
Trabzon and Sukhum till 1996. The ferry was usually fully booked.
Turkish businessmen of the Black Sea coast and members of the
Diaspora recall that the journeys were comfortable and enjoyable.
Chains of forced and sometimes semi-voluntary mass migrations formed
the present day North Caucasian Diaspora in Turkey. Today, there are
more Abkhazians in Turkey than in Abkhazia and more North West
Caucasians than in the North West Caucasus. The Georgian-Abkhaz war
helped to transform the Diaspora into a political factor in the context
of relations between Turkey and Abkhazia. A modern, post-Cold War wave
of cultural and political awareness has been developing among the
Diaspora sustained by the increased cultural, political and economic
relations with Abkhazia.
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