SUMMARY

The territory claimed by the Republic of Abkhazia is located in north-western Georgia and constitutes about one tenth of the country. Abkhaz-Georgian relations are marked by a long history of tensions. Throughout the 20th century Abkhazia has had different statuses within Georgia and the former Soviet Union. When Georgia was integrated into the Soviet Union in 1921 Abkhazia was initially granted equal status with Georgia. However, after a decade, the region was reintegrated into Georgia as it had been before 1921. In the 1980s, under the reformist Soviet leadership, nationalists gained influence among the Georgians, and the fear became wide-spread among the ethnic minorities in Abkhazia that Georgian independence would result in a “Georgianisation”.

The Abkhaz Supreme Council declared Abkhazia’s sovereignty in 1990. Georgia stated that the declaration was void a few days later and when Georgia gained independence in 1991 Abkhazia saw itself become a part of a newly independent state where nationalists were in charge. Tensions mounted and on 23 July 1992 the Supreme Soviet of the Autonomous Republic of Abkhazia declared Abkhazia independent from Georgia. An intra-state armed conflict with the government of Georgia ensued as a result of which the self-proclaimed Republic of Abkhazia gained de facto independence. Its independence has, however, not been recognized by any state. After the end of the fighting in 1993, the de facto Abkhazian parliament elected Vladislav Ardzinba president of Abkhazia. Sergei Bagapsh, who won the 2005 elections, succeeded him.

It has been alleged that the Republic of Abkhazia received military support by the Russian Federation in the conflict, which, however, maintained to be neutral. Russia has granted Russian citizenship to almost all inhabitants of Abkhazia - including to Abkhaz troops. It also granted preferential trade regimes to Abkhazia and paid pensions to inhabitants of the region.

In the intra-state conflict with the Georgian government, the Confederation of Mountain Peoples, a loose coalition of ethnic, tribal, and regional groups in the Caucasus Mountains has supported the Republic of Abkhazia. Abkhaz authorities also acknowledged that they have received significant financial assistance from Abkhaz diasporas in different countries.

The Republic of Abkhazia has been involved in the intrastate, non-state and one-sided categories of UCDP organised violence.