Abashidze Was an Outlet for Shevardnadze

The Dilis Gazeti; The Resonance

(Tbilisi. November 9. Civil Georgia) – Georgian President appointed leader of Adjara Autonomous Republic Aslan Abashidze on the post of his personal envoy for settling the Abkhazian conflict. Abashidze left for Moscow afterwards. Georgian press talks about the President’s decision and role of Adjara leader in the conflict resolution.

Relying on Russian paper Novoe Vremia the Dilis Gazeti says that Shevardnadze made another fabulous step when visited Batumi (capital of Adjara Autonomous Republic) and gave definite instruction to its leader. The paper also points out that Shevardnadze had no other outlet from the situation existing in the country.

On one hand, the paper considers that Shevardnadze guessed it was inevitable for him to visit Batumi, which had always been in his opposition.  On the other hand, the decision might have been made at Russia’s bidding. 

“Even though nothing particular was solved at the visit to Moscow the leader of Adjara came back full of hopes. He met representatives of Russian government and Abkhazia there”, the Resonance reports. Abashidze having come back from Moscow stated that Russia is ready to meet the Georgian side and discuss the problem of Abkhazia.

By the way, prime minister of de facto Abkhazian Republic Anri Jergenia visited Moscow right after the Adjara leader.

“If Aslan Abashidze resolves the Abkhazian conflict he will be a dominant candidate for the Prime Minister position”, member of the faction Revival Sandro Bregadze told the Resonance.

Young reformers team does not have faith in Abashidze. “I do not regard Abashidze as a person being eager to do something good for Georgia. I remember he was holding concerts on the day when Sukhumi (capital of Abkhazia) was captured”, head of the parliamentary committee of defense and security Giorgi Baramidze stated.