While speaking with reporters on December 6, Russian President Vladimir Putin hailed, as he put it, the ?Abkhaz politicians? for their efforts to peacefully tackle the post-election crisis in the breakaway region; however, he added that the crisis is not over yet, RIA Novosti news agency reported.
?I do not want to fully assign this [breakthrough] to Russian efforts. At first, a final resolution [of the crisis] is not complete yet and secondly the final say is with those people who live on the territory of the region we are talking about, in this case ? Abkhazia,? Putin said.
He said that the agreement between the former presidential rivals Sergey Bagapsh and Raul Khajimba was made possible ?due to the Abkhaz politicians? efforts.?
?They listened to the people?s opinion and they were able to prevail over their own ambitions,? he added.
Putin also said that mediators, including Russian ones, helped to ease tensions in Abkhazia. ?But they were only mediators,? he added.
According to the agreement reached between the former presidential rivals, repeat presidential elections, in which Sergey Bagapsh will run for President and Raul Khajimba as for Vice-President, will be held in breakaway Abkhazia before January 13, 2005.