Brussels, 20/03/2001 (Agence Europe) - On 16 March, the Swedish Presidency adopted the following declaration, on behalf of the European Union, on the local elections in Abkhazia:
"The EU considers that the local elections held in Abkhazia (Georgia) on 10 March 2001 are null and void. The conditions for fair elections were not met, owing to the absence of 300 000 Georgians from Abkhazia who had been driven out of their homes.
The holding of the elections cannot in any way lessen the need...