From The New York Times:MOSCOW — Sergei Bagapsh wants to make it perfectly clear: Abkhazia is not now, and will not become, part of the Russian Federation.
Almost five years after being elected president of the breakaway Georgian territory, Mr. Bagapsh owes an enormous debt to Russia, his northern neighbor. Russia went to war last August to support Abkhazia’s and South Ossetia’s claims to independence from Georgia, and the Kremlin recognized both territories as sovereign nations, fulfilling the wish that has driven separatists through two decades of war and privation. No other country, he said, has shown “any concern for the Abkhaz people.”
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My Comment: Abkhazia is also a big test for Russia. There are numerous territories in the former Soviet Union who look at Russia as a protector of their cultural and political needs. Failure in Abkhazia will be a signal to them and to the governments that they are worried about that Russia cannot be a reliable ally when the times start to get rough.
As for Abkhazia itself .... for the moment they are a priority for Russia. They will have security and aid to rebuild from years of conflict. The crucial question is .... will they ever leave? .... and if they leave, will Georgia try to take over Abkhazia again?
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