"The EU absolutely recognises the indispensable role of Russia in this regard," said the French Ambassador to Russia, Stanislas de Laboulaye, speaking at a press conference in Moscow yesterday (7 July).
While stressing the EU's neutrality "on this extremely difficult subject," he called on Georgia and Abkhazia to refrain from violence and negotiate.
Abkhazia has enjoyed de facto independence from Georgia since it broke away during the conflict which followed the 1991 collapse of the Soviet Union. However, it has not been recognised by any country despite strong backing from Russia.
The security situation in Abkhazia has worsened since Kosovo unilaterally declared independence from Serbia last February. Russian leaders had previously warned that EU leaders' backing for Kosovo may also exacerbate tensions in the Caucasus.
Blaming the Georgian government for the recent string of attacks in the breakaway province which left several people dead and wounded, Abkhaz leader Sergei Bagapsh told Russian news agency Interfax that the province "cannot fail to react," announcing the end of all contact with Georgia, which he accused of "state terrorism".
In a separate statement, Abkhazia's foreign affairs department called on the G8 summit in Japan to prevent additional "terrorist attacks". Tbilisi has denied any involvement in the blasts, which were sharply criticised by the EU.
Amanda Akçakoca of the European Policy Centre told EurActiv that there is no hope of a release of tension in the region. She criticised the EU's push for more Russian involvement, saying Russia "would certainly not qualify as an independent intermediary".
She believes Russia would be more than happy to simply stand by and watch, especially as further deterioration of the situation would certainly deal another blow to Georgia's ambition to join NATO, which Russia heavily opposes.
Rejecting calls for deeper Russian involvement, Akçakoca insisted that country's influence should instead be decreased. Instead, according to her, what is needed is a greater role for the EU in Abkhazia, and potentially even an international peacekeeping force on the ground.
