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Russia and U.S. clashed over Abkhazia · 2007-04-11 12:33

AbkhaziaRussia and the United States clashed sharply over Georgia’s breakaway region of Abkhazia on Tuesday as the United Nations Security Council debated renewing a U.N. mission in the Caucasus state.

Russia’s U.N. ambassador Vitaly Churkin, speaking to reporters, charged that the United States had made a “serious diplomatic and political mistake” in refusing to allow Abkhazia’s “foreign minister” to come to New York.

U.S. officials denied they had turned down a formal visa request by the minister, and U.S. ambassador Alejandro Wolff accused Churkin of a “mischievous effort” to create “false analogies” between Abkhazia and Serbia’s troubled Kosovo region.

Abkhazia, on the Black Sea, broke away from Georgia in 1993 after the Soviet Union collapsed, when separatists, backed by mercenaries and arms from Russia’s northern Caucasus region, drove out Tbilisi’s troops.

Moscow, which has frayed relations with Georgia, props up the region by paying pensions, issuing Russian passports and allowing cross-border traffic, Mosnews.

A U.N. military and police observer mission, currently 142-strong, has monitored the situation since 1993. Its current six-month mandate will expire on Friday.

Abkhazia is not officially recognized by any country or international body, but Churkin took issue with Washington’s decision not to let the Abkhaz minister, Sergei Shamba, come to the United States to address the Security Council.

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