Abkhazia says no fuel deficit despite Georgia's seizure of tanker
15:52 18/08/2009 SUKHUMI, August 18 (RIA Novosti) - Georgia's seizure of a Turkish tanker carrying fuel to Abkhazia will not cause a shortfall in the former Georgian republic, the Abkhazian economics minister said on Tuesday.
Georgian sea patrol officers impounded the Turkish Buket vessel, carrying over 3,000 of gasoline and 775 metric tons of diesel to Abkhazia on Sunday. Since the incident, long queues have formed at filling stations in Abkhazia.
However, Kristina Ozgan told reporters that the small republic, home to around 20,000, has 1,000 metric tons of gasoline reserves, which "will allow us to meet the needs of the population for the near future."
"There will not be a gasoline deficit in Abkhazia," she said.
She said the Abkhazian government had already reached an agreement with Russia's largest state-run oil company, Rosneft, for the supply of up to 500 metric tons of gasoline within the next few days, and dismissed speculation that prices would rise.
The incident was the third case of Georgia seizing Turkish vessels carrying commercial cargo to Abkhazia, declaring the shipments unauthorized and illegal. Tbilisi considers Abkhazia to be part of its own territory.
Next Wednesday, August 26, will mark the first anniversary of Russia's recognition of Abkhazia and another former Georgian republic, South Ossetia, as independent states. So far the only other country to have recognized the two republics is Nicaragua.
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