Georgian deputy minister decries Abkhazia airport reopening as threat to security

Georgian Deputy Foreign Minister Lasha Darsalia has expressed his regret over the reopening of an airport in the capital city of Abkhazia.

Deputy Minister Darsalia responded to these news while attending the 63rd Round of the Geneva International Discussions (GID) that is being held from March 4-5, Caliber.Az reports citing Georgian media.

He stated that the Georgian government believes "that the reopening of Sukhumi airport and the construction of a naval base in Ochamchire are part of the deteriorating security situation, the continuation of the occupation, and the further militarization of Abkhazia. Unfortunately, we are witnessing a destructive approach from the other side."

As Caliber.Az recalls, the Georgian government has lost control over the breakaway regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia in the 2008 August war while they remain internationally recognized territories of the country. The regions have been recognized only by a handful of states: Russia, Venezuela, Nicaragua, Nauru, and Syria.

The GID were launched in Switzerland in 2008 in order to address the consequences of the 2008 august war in Georgia and are being co-chaired by the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), the European Union and the United Nations.

By Nazrin Sadigova