Russian Deputy: Abkhazia may become part of Belarus :: Charter'97 :: News

The Abkhazia problem may be solved by Abkhazia’s becoming a part of Belarus, said the first vice-chairperson of the CIS affairs and relations with compatriots committee of the Russian State Duma Akhmed Bilalau in his interview to “Nezavisimaya Gazeta”.

According to Bilalau, “in case there is no intention from the Georgian side to solve the Abkhazia problem, we can find different variants of “asymmetric” solutions. For example, Abkhazia can become a part of Belarus.”

The Deputy of the State Duma explained his proposition saying that “Belarus and Russia are amalgamated within one “union state”. Thus, the Russian citizens living in Abkhazia will feel protected, and Moscow will avoid potential accusations of its empire ambitions,” - stated Akhmed Bilalau.

Ruslan Yesin, the representative of the Belarusian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, called these statements “personal opinion of the Deputy of the Russian State Duma”.

Radio Liberty reminds that in May, when a group of Belarusian deputies of the so-called “chamber of representatives” headed by the speaker Uladzimir Kanapliou came to Abkhazia with an informal visit, the Belarusian delegation met with the Parliament of this separative autonomy.

The speaker of the Georgian Parliament Nino Burdzhanadze criticized keenly the Belarusian delegation’s visit, and Uladzimir Kanapliou tried to justify himself claiming this trip to be a tourist one.