Abkhazia, the Country No One Has Heard of
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Ever heard of Abkhazia? Thought not! However, the world must sit up and take notice of this small republic that borders Russia as events there come to a head.
Most people in 1914 had not heard of Sarajevo, but that all changed after the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand when the continent of Europe was plunged in to a bloody four year conflict. So, perhaps it is wise to sit up and take notice of the country that no one has heard of. Say hello to Abkhazia.
Abkhazia may sound like a made up place but it is very real. It is a small break away republic in Georgia and, if it has its own way, will become the next Kosovo, becoming a country in its own right. However, the national government of Georgia has very different ideas and this will inevitably lead to conflict. It only takes a little imagination and an unhealthy dose of pessimism, to foresee a new catastrophe in the making for Europe.
Abkhazia already ticks off many of the prerequisites for nationhood. It has its own president, flag and national anthem. It even operates its own visa system for visitors. However, a close inspection of any map will not reveal it as a country. However, since the bloody civil war of the 1990s it has functioned as a de facto independent state.
The local people – and the media – are actively working busily toward this final goal. Newspapers often accuse the west of a system of double standards, arguing that as Kosovo has been recognized, so should Abkhazia. Most western nations, however, are unlikely to recognize the small state as sovereign because it will violate Georgia’s borders. Plus, of course, why should countries like Spain recognize a nation when it would only lead to calls by its own minorities, notably the Basques, for independence of their own?
However, Abkhazia has an ally – and a powerful one at that. On many occasions Vladimir Putin has hinted that if the west recognizes Kosovo then Russia will go right ahead and recognize Abkhazia. In fact, if it was not for the support of Russia the local economy in Abkhazia would have disintegrated years ago. The state itself is the main reason for the poor relationship between Moscow and Tblisi. Although there are some imports from nearby Turkey, virtually everything that is sold in the republic comes from Russia.
Plus the Russian government has a big bone to pick with Georgia. Georgia has for many years been lobbying to join NATO and there is no way that the Russians will countenance this without doing something in retaliation. The vote in the Russian parliament of 22 March 2008 could not put matters any clearer. If Georgia joins NATO then Russia will officially recognize Abkhazia. Then all hell might break loose.
Most Abkhazians fear the worst. Georgia, helped by huge aid from the USA, has recently modernized its armed forces and is now in a situation of readiness to invade the breakaway region if they deem it necessary. The Abkhazian government claims stridently that the Georgians is planning a first strike offensive in the very near future, possibly in early spring.
However, if Georgia invades militarily they can most probably kiss any idea of NATO membership goodbye. Their membership is on the table for discussion at the summit in Bucharest in April 2008 and if they invade one of their own regions either before or after then Georgia will most certainly not be joining NATO.
Whatever happens in the near future, expect the name Abkhazia to become a household word very soon.
7 Comments
what about refugees (ethnic Georgians) that are 250 000?
hi.thanks for an article but i would like to make 2 comments.
Firstly, you state that “However, the national government of Georgia has very different ideas and this will inevitably (?) lead to conflict” then you say However, if Georgia invades militarily they can most probably kiss any idea of NATO membership goodbye” So, dont you think these two sentences contradict each other? If Georgia wishes to join NATO why would it take actions which will inevitably lead to a conflict?besides, do you know exactly what are ideas that Georgian government has, which as you say will lead to inevitable conflict?
secondly, yes Abkhazs are indeed scared of war, and Georgians are not fond of it either. but have you noticed that Abkhazian government is threatening its population since it was elected 3years ago that Georgia will start a war. Bagapsh is saying that for 3 years but Georgia has not started a war. Bagapsh was saying that Georgia would start a war for presidential elections (5.01.08) but Georgia has not. now the same…this is an very good technique to scare people and mobilize their hatred towards Georgian people in general, thus legitimize himself.
Therefore, you statement that ideas of Georgian government will inevitably lead to a conflict is overstated and misleading, of course if you dont have sufficient information to prove your claim. Thanks
Thank you for your article. We as Abkhazians merely want to achieve what we have been striving to do for years: live in peace and prosperity in our native homeland.
It is distressing to see the propoganda that Georgian institutes, websites, Wikipedia, and their government has been distributing about our history and culture. Indeed, we are natives to this land and we deserve our independence just as they have gained theirs. It is time they leave us be and give up these colonialist designs they have over my country and learn to live with us in peace and stop trying to force us to undergo yet another Georginization process such as we had experience in the 20th century and also before. Please let the world know that we are not a part of them, we never were except by political alliances which were common in this region of the world for centuries, and that this does give them a right to claim our land for themselves. God bless our wonderful little country and we only hope to become a proud member of the international community one day soon.
My best regards,
Madina
I was born in Abkhazia and remember a time when we lived in peace married,helped and understand each other.All what happened now is a bloody politicians dirty work as everywhere else in the world.We can live in peace if we will remember that life here for ONCE! Tina. U.K. 23/06/08
Please read about the Georgian-Abkhasian war of 1991-93 and the ethnic cleansing of non-Abkhasian peoples. It makes Kosovo look like a children’s play. So then talk about independence.
first I am from america and i would like to say the politicans do mess things up pretty bad because their over here doing it, my thing it’s the politicians and the congress doing all the dirt not the people of america so don’t blame us for whats happening dont really blame anyone but try to understand like unlease their not controlling your country
and plus no one have ever heard about this country so maybe if you get poblicity everybody will see what the politicians are doing you so maybe then they would stop because look at it like this i didn’t even know about this country i was looking on the country about a country that was never heard see today i learned something new