Georgia to hold talks with breakaway region of Abkhazia

MOSCOW - Georgia will hold talks with its breakaway region of Abkhazia in Geneva in April, the region's leader Sergei Bagapsh said Tuesday during a visit here.
"We have to resolve the economic questions before we resolve the political ones," Bagapsh was quoted as saying by the Ria Novosti news agency.
He said that Abkhazia was prepared for all possibilities in its relations with Georgia: "We are prepared for any number of scenarios. But we hope that all the scenarios will be peaceful".
Russia officially recognises the territorial integrity of Georgia, from which Abkhazia became independent after a war in 1991-92 following the break-up of the Soviet Union, but unofficially supports the breakaway Black Sea region on its southern border.

03/15/2005 11:51 GMT