German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier flew to Georgia on Thursday amid Western worries that the conflict could spiral into war and destabilize a region that is developing into a key energy link from the Caspian Sea to Europe, bypassing Russia.
"The main component of the plan is starting a direct dialogue," Steinmeier told reporters after talks with Georgian Foreign Minister Yekaterina Tkeshelashvili.
Steinmeier said the standoff was "in a hopeless state now," but "we will do our best to persuade them to solve the conflict peacefully."
The three stages of his plan include returning Georgian refugees to Abkhazia, arranging economic recovery programs in the province and finally deciding its future status. "Based on this plan, we should find a way out. You will have strong support from the European Union," Steinmeier said, adding that he had discussed the plan with EU leaders.
Steinmeier was to meet Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili and fly Friday to Abkhazia for talks with separatists. He was to go on to Moscow to meet Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov.
Tkeshelashvili cautiously backed the plan but made clear that Tbilisi was unhappy about some of its elements. "There are good elements in the plan," she said. "But there are also certain issues viewed as important by Georgia, which we discussed frankly."
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.