15:38, 27 February 2004

Mikhail Saakashvili: Tbilisi is ready to grant Abkhazia broad autonomy within Georgia

Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili said he was ready to grant Abkhazia broad autonomy within Georgia.

Speaking at a session of the U.N. Security Council devoted to the Georgian-Abkhazian settlement on February 26, Saakashvili said, "When we talk about the autonomy, we mean that we are ready to introduce federal elements in relations between the centre and the autonomy. At the same time, one should understand that we consider Abkhazia a unity for Russians, Abkhazians, Georgians, Estonians, Ukrainians, and Jews ? all those who live there."

The Georgian president stressed, "All these people have the right to return to Abkhazia with the strongest self-government system and the high level of independence." But Abkhazia should recognize that it is part of the united state where it has the broadest powers, Saakashvili said.

"This is our model. We are changing our positions and hope that Russia will do the same. Our conversations with Vladimir Putin are very positive. I hope that progress will be achieved because it is impossible to develop relations in such a way," the Georgian president pointed out.

Source: ITAR-TASS News Agency