Statement of the MFA of Ukraine on the decision of the Russian Federation to suspend the observance of its obligations under the Decision of the Council of Heads of States of the Commonwealth of Independent States of 10.01.1996  “On measures within settlement of the conflicts in Abkhazia, Georgia”

On March 7, 2008 the Executive Committee of the CIS informed the participant States of the Commonwealth on the decision of the Russian Federation not to consider itself bound by the provisions of the Decision “On measures within the settlement of the conflicts in Abkhazia, Georgia”, signed on January 19, 1996 by the Heads of States of ten CIS participant States and confirmed by the Statement of the Council of Heads of States of 19.09.2003.

The MFA of Ukraine expresses serious concern about the RF’ suspension of the observance of its obligations under the mentioned Decision binding not to support separatist regimes neither official contacts with their representatives.          

It is evident that such a step will not contribute to further settlement of the conflict in Abkhazia, Georgia. It is aimed to destroy a single of existing mechanism for ensuring stability in the region and can be fraught with additional threats to emerge. Besides such a step will have a negative impact on the CIS prospects, cooperation between its member-States, settlement of “frozen” conflicts in the post-Soviet area and the European continent as a whole.   

The MFA of Ukraine confirms its adherence to the spirit and the letter of the mentioned Decision and Statement, its support of sovereignty and territorial integrity of Georgia.