Abkhazia's parliament convenes on Republic's sovereignty

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A special session of Abkhazian parliament convened in Sukhum. The session is due to the recognition by Russia of the country's sovereignty. Speaker Nugzar Ashuba spoke before the parlamentarians.

Having heartily congratulated all his compatriots with the long-anticipated decision of Russia to recognize Abkhazia as a sovereign and independent state, taken on Aug 26 2008, Ashuba said it was ''a great day for the Abkhaz people, for all the citizens of the multinational Abkhazia, for our compatriots living far abroad and for everyone who for many years was striving for it with all their energy and all their heart.''

Speaking of the history of his nation, Nugzar Ashuba pointed out that joint living of Abkhazians and Georgians that led to the ethnic catasprophe of the Abkhaz people, proved to be impossible already in Soviet times. ''The climax of the national-liberation struggle was the Patriotic War of the people of Abkhazia of 1992-1993. On Aug 14, 1992, Georgia traded political dialog with Abkhazia for the use of force, by launching an armed aggression agaisnt Abkhazia. The purpose of the Georgia's war against Abkhazia was suppression of the national-liberation movement, annihilation of Abkhazia statehood, and ultimate inclusion of Abkhazian territories into the Georgian unitary state — by way of mass slaughter and deportation of the greater part of the Abkhazians.''

''To achieve these goals, the Georgian leadership was ready to wipe out all the Abkhazian people. For 13 months, the people of Abkhazia was subjected to slaughter. As a result of the war, Abkhazia suffered irrecoverable human sacrifices and enormous material losses. The entire economic infrastructure of the republic was destroyed and plundered. With unusual hatred, artifacts of the people's culture were destroyed.''

''But in the imposed on us war, the people of Abkhazia defeated the aggressors, for they were fighting not for their Motherland. We bow before the memory of courage and perseverance of those who gave their lives for our common right to leave peacefully on our land.''

Ashuba pronounced special words of gratitude to the first President of Abkhazia Vladislav Ardzinba who inspired his people during the war and helped to defend the people's interests and ensure stable development and establishment of democratic foundations of the state after the war. The fight was continued by ''consistent, balanced, and restless work to create foundations of international recognition of sovereignty and independence of the state'' of President of Abkhazia Sergey Bagapsh. The President's ''authority and political skill played important role in Russian leadership's steps in cooperation with Abkhazia.''

''Thoughout all its history, Abkhazia has been developing as a state friendly to Russia. Abkhazia at all times has been its faithful ally. Abkhazian people highly esteem the support of the people of Russia, which was of a vital importance for preserving our national identity.''

''Peacekeeping efforts of Russia, maintained in our territory since 1994, all this time have been playing the most important stabilizing role for us. Thanks to the Joint Peacekeeping Force in Abkhazia represented by the Russian troops, we could believe in the possibility of our civilized state development, could have a hope for the future of our children, finally, we could just breathe freely… Each peacekeeper who gave his life on our land, will live in the hearts of compatriots living in Abkhazia.''

Nugzar Ashuba called the Russian Federation a main guarantor of security and peace for the peoples of the Caucasus. ''Efforts undertaken by the leadership of the Russian Federation for preserving and strengthening peace in the Caucasus and the Black Sea region are utterly important. Only settling the situation around our country will help to fully realize potential of our cooperation with Russia and all the world countries, to effectively oppose all arising challenges. And we warn the mentors who stand behind the back of the Georgian government that the Abkhazian people who has for thousands years been in the center of interests of civilizations, is not going to trade its geopolitical position. Honor, conscience, freedom, and independence have for centuries been our highest values,'' Nugzar Ashuba said.