The statement of the ex-President of Georgia Mikhail Saakashvili about his intention to return Abkhazia to Tbilisi's control after his release from prison is not surprising. This was stated by the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Abkhazia Oleg Bartsits, commenting on Saakashvili's words that after being released from prison, he, along with other patriots, would return Abkhazia under Georgian control.
"Such a statement from the mouth of a political maniac, a war criminal Mikhail Saakashvili, of course, does not surprise anyone. This fits perfectly into the paradigm of his politics, his perception of the world, his attitude towards people. It is enough to recall the bloody inhuman aggression initiated and sanctioned by Saakashvili in August 2008, when residents of South Ossetia and Russian peacekeepers who were under an international mandate in this region were barbarously killed. It is enough to recall the incessant provocations against the Republic of Abkhazia, all actions to destabilize the situation near the border, in the eastern part of Abkhazia. The main thing is not what Saakashvili said, but how it will be regarded in Georgia itself, how the Georgian leadership will react to it," TASS quoted Bartsits as saying.
According to the minister, it is impossible to fully treat Saakashvili's statements as the delirium of a crazy person with pronounced sadistic tendencies.
"This is, in fact, a political statement by part of the Georgian establishment, which still supports the criminal and maniac Saakashvili. These are plans for their vision of resolving the Abkhaz issue. I think exactly the same plans are being hatched for the people of South Ossetia. Such statements by Saakashvili completely disavow all the peace—loving rhetoric that comes out of the mouths of modern Georgian leaders," Bartsits said.
The Foreign Minister of Abkhazia believes that such statements should be the subject of close attention from relevant international officials, experts, and the legal component of the Western establishment. According to him, this is a very alarming signal, which is sent from a fairly significant, unfortunately, still, part of Georgian politics to the people of Abkhazia.
Abkhazia is ready for any scenario, the minister said.
"Including such bloodthirsty plans, our desire to strengthen our military security, to actively work on military cooperation with our strategic ally and partner, the Russian Federation, is conditioned, and this work will continue. We cannot rely on chance and the goodwill of Georgian politicians," Bartsits said.
If a strict legal assessment is not given to statements similar to the one made by Saakashvili, it will mean that the current leadership of Georgia shares similar views or allows in its plans, the RA Foreign Minister believes.
Bartsits also recalled that recently the former Deputy Prime Minister, State Minister, Minister of Internal Affairs of Georgia Georgy Baramidze made a shocking confession about the mass shootings of Abkhaz prisoners during the 1992-1993 war and said quite openly that there was even no one to exchange for Georgian prisoners of war who were held on the Abkhaz side, since the Abkhaz were immediately shot.
"The Georgian prosecutor's office opened a criminal case against Baramidze, and, it would seem, should have involved him under the article on war crimes or complicity in them, but alas, Baramidze, who confessed to egregious crimes, was accused of treason. That is, there is an attempt to disguise these crimes against humanity, which are well known in Abkhazia and South Ossetia," Bartsits said.