Brussels, 25/11/2014 (Agence Europe) - During the evening of Monday 24 November, High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini criticised the signing of a “so-called Treaty on Alliance and Strategic Partnership'” between the Russian Federation and Georgia's breakaway region of Abkhazia.
This signature is “is detrimental to ongoing efforts to stabilise the security situation in the region”, Mogherini stated. “Just like earlier agreements signed between the Russian Federation and Abkhazia, this violates Georgia's sovereignty and territorial integrity, contradicts principles of international law and the international commitments of the Russian Federation, including the 12 August 2008 agreement [Ed: facilitated by the EU, to put an end to the war between Russia and Georgia] and its implementing measures of 8 September 2008”, she continued.
Georgia called the signature an “illegal act” which it believed to be a step towards the de facto annexation of this region by Russia. NATO stated that it did not recognise this “so-called treaty” which “does not contribute to finding a peaceful and sustainable solution to the conflict” (our translation).
The agreement signed between Russia and Abkhazia provides for closer cooperation in economic, social, humanitarian, external policy; defence and security areas - including the creation of a socio-economic area and a joint group of armed forces. Russia will grant the separatist region €268 million in 2015 as part of implementing the agreement. (CG)