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24 January 2003

U.S. Supports Georgian Territorial Integrity in Abkhazia Conflict

(Davidson urges Russia not to make negotiations more difficult) (320)
The United States supports a "cooperative and fully transparent"
international approach to resolving the conflict in Abkhazia that
respects Georgia's territorial integrity and believes Russia should
abstain from activities that "appear to enhance" the region's separate
status, U.S. diplomat Douglas Davidson told the OSCE Permanent Council
in Vienna January 23.
Following is Davidson's statement as prepared for delivery:
(begin text)
United States Mission to the OSCE 
Vienna
January 23, 2003
STATEMENT OF RESPONSE TO THE GEORGIAN INTERVENTION ON EVENTS IN
ABKHAZIA
Prepared for delivery by Deputy Chief of Mission Douglas Davidson to
the Permanent Council
Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
The United States supports a cooperative and fully transparent
international approach, in partnership with Georgia, to achieve a full
resolution of the Abkhaz conflict that respects Georgia's sovereignty
and territorial integrity.
We support the efforts of the United Nations to bring about such a
resolution to the conflict on the basis of the paper on "Basic
Principles for the Distribution of Competencies Between Tbilisi and
Sukhumi", which I believe is often known as the "Boden Paper" for
short. Prepared by a distinguished Special Representative of the
United Nations Secretary General, this paper has received the full
support of the United Nations Security Council.
We fully understand the concern of the Georgian government over
unilateral actions by the Russian Federation. The Russian Federation,
we believe, should abstain from activities that appear to enhance the
separate status of Abkhazia and render the negotiating process more
difficult.
The United States was pleased to see signs late last year, following
the meeting between Presidents Shevardnadze and Putin in Chisinau, of
an improvement in relations between Russia and Georgia. We hope that
both sides will take steps to renew this forward momentum in their
bilateral relations.
I thank you Mr. Chairman.
(end text)
(Distributed by the Office of International Information Programs, U.S.
Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)