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March 11, SUKHUM, Abkhazia -- The
deputy Foreign Minister of Abkhazia Daur Kove met with the Potsdam
University professor Dieter Boden in the Ministry for Foreign Affairs.
In
1995-1996 Dieter Boden was the head of the OSCE Special Mission in
Georgia, and in December, 1999 was appointed Special Representative of
the UN Secretary General on the Georgian-Abkhaz Conflict and worked in
this position for two years and a half.
Welcoming the scientist, Daur Kove said
that Dieter Boden was a well- known person in Abkhazia. "You known well
enough the problems of our region since you were engaged in their
resolution, being a UN Special Representative”, Kove said. "Today after
a long absence, you are again in Abkhazia, and we are pleased to
welcome you back”.
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The deputy Foreign Minister said
regretfully that Boden’s visit concurred with sad events connected with
the death of the prominent statesman, the First President of Abkhazia
Vladislav Ardzinba.
The meeting participants paid last respect to the National Hero Vladislav Ardzinba by a minute of silence.
Dieter
Boden said at the meeting that this time he had arrived in Abkhazia as
a scientist. "Certainly, I remember very well the time when I worked
here as a UN Special Representative. I cannot but take a further
interest in your destiny and the Caucasian region in general. It’s not
only my interest, but many Europeans in general. Today this interest is
stronger, than ever”, Boden said.
"We all know that the
problems remain. We all want this region to be able to live in solid
and complete peace, and consider me your well-wisher as far as this is
concerned”, the former head of the UN Mission in Georgia added.
Dieter
Boden called "rather interesting" the meeting with the Abkhaz State
University students which had also taken place today. Then the meeting
was held behind closed doors. It was also attended by the MFA
international department chief, a participant of the Geneva discussions
on security in Transcaucasia Lana Agrba and the chairman of the
Coordination Commission Zurab Lakerbaya.
After the meeting in
an interview Dieter Boden expressed regret that he hadn’t been there
for 7 years. "At the same time I’m happy to come back here on the
invitation of the University rector, and today we had a wonderful
meeting with the students who stroke me”, Boden said.
"I’ve
worked here, and now arrived as a private person already, as a
scientist to listen, to understand the situation and to tell other
people about it. I want to make my modest contribution to your going
out of the existing problems and the Caucasus becoming a stable
region”, the scientist said.
Speaking about the First
President of Abkhazia Vladislav Ardzinba, the former UN official said:
"We have met several times, and I can tell you that it’s always been a
frank and open exchange of opinions. I cannot tell you that we have
agreed on every issue, but we respected each other very much. I
respected his honesty and openness very much. I know that in his time
he made his contribution to find a solution of the problems”.
Source: Abkhazia Gov. |
