American analyst: Americans would have supported Abkhazia, if they had explained that Abkhazia is fighting for freedom

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“I have always stood for the independence of Abkhazia,” announced director of Russian and Asian programs of the Global Security Institute (USA) Nikolai Zlobin at a press conference in Moscow on September 14.

According to a REGNUM correspondent, the expert expressed hope that Abkhazia won’t become “a failed state” and will be developing well. According to Zlobin, Abkhazia has a chance to build a democratic system. “Abkhazia has all need prerequisites”, — American political suppose. “Abkhazian President Sergei Bagapsh is the former ‘anti-Kremlin’ candidate,” he added.

“South Ossetia has no such basis as Abkhazia does, constituent features are absent. Unlike with the Abkhazian case it's not obvious for the West,” Zlobin notes. According to Zlobin, American people would have fully supported Abkhazians in the conflict with Georgia if it had been explained that the Abkhaz are fighting for their independence.

A different view was expressed by Ariel Cohen, Senior Research Fellow of the Heritage Foundation. “Mr. Bagapsh said 50-60 thousands of Abkhaz live in Abkhazia now. Also there are 220 thousand of Georgian refugees who's under international law to return,” he notes. “Excuse the medical expression, this sort of tumor isn't recognized. If Abkhazia joins the Union State (of Russia and Belarus), the organization consisting of Russia, Belarus, Abkhazia and someone else will be very strange structure,” said the expert. “With regard to Mr. Kokoity, he initially explained the intention of South Ossetia to unite with North Ossetia, but just a half an hour later he was downed a peg. Kokoity is not considered as the head of an independent state, he's just an official for them,” Cohen notes.

Anatol Lieven, terrorism and international relations research director, Kings College London (Britain), said in his turn that impossibility of the return of Abkhazia in Georgia is absolutely obvious. He also expressed doubt that return to Abkhazia of Georgian refugees is possible as the Abkhaz leadership will not allow the demographic threat.