Abkhazia and the danger of ‘ossetianization’
Abkhazia and the danger of ‘ossetianization’

Author(s): Thomas de Waal
Subject(s): International relations/trade, Security and defense, Military policy, Inter-Ethnic Relations
Published by: CEPS Centre for European Policy Studies
Keywords: Georgia; Georgian-Russian relations;
Summary/Abstract: When Georgian-Russian relations suffer a downturn—as they have over the crisis of the last two weeks--the people who live in Abkhazia and South Ossetia suffer the consequences. The Georgians of Abkhazia’s Gali region, who live a precarious life moving back and forth from their home region to Tbilisi-controlled territory, are the first casualties. But everyone in these territories has reason to feel worried. Last week the de facto authorities in Abkhazia mostly closed the main crossing point into western Georgia, stopping Gali Georgians from crossing the bridge across the Inguri River to the Zugdidi region, where most of them have relatives. In normal times, around 3,000 people a day cross back and forth. Foreigners were also forbidden to cross into Abkhaz territory.

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