US, France: Russian Missiles in Abkhazia Destabilize Caucasus

Russia's President Dmitry Medvedev (L) and leader of selfproclaimed republic of Abkhazia Sergei Bagapsh (R) talk to each other during their meeting in Sukhumi, Republic of Abkhazia in Western Georgia, 08 August 2010. Photo by EPA/BGNES

The deployment of Russian missile complexes in Abkhazia announced Wednesday has raised concern on part of key Western powers.

John Bass, the US Ambassador to Georgia, from which Abkhazia and South Ossetia seceded in 2008, has stated that placing Russian C-300 missiles in the first entity did not help for the stability in the Caucasus, as cited by Interfax.

He said he did not have precise information about the Russian missiles and that media publications did not make it clear whether they had already been placed in Abkhazia, or their location there was yet to come.

The French Foreign Ministry expressed its concerns over the presence of Russian missiles in the breakaway Georgian region, and has urged all countries in the Caucasus towards restraint.

France has further demanded strict adherence to the agreements from August 12 and September 8, 2008, which ended the five-day war between Russia and Georgia over South Ossetia.

South Ossetia and Abkhazia that broke off from Georgia subsequently have been recognized as independent states only by Russia, Nicaragua, Venezuela, and Nauru.

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