Chechen variant possible in Abkhazia

In his interview with the Caucasian Knot correspondent, Musa Shanibov, the former chairman of the Confederation of Mountain Peoples, raised deep concern about the situation in Abkhazia. In particular, he said that Abkhazia faced the most dangerous problem. And this problem is created by those who traditionally consider both the authorities and people their property.

"People supporting the present authorities weren't clever enough to take a civilized approach to the election results. The parliament declared Bagapsh's victory, the Central Election Commission and the prosecutor did too. The Supreme Court also did it, but then it was taken by the throat and forced to cancel the results of the election." To take power by such methods means that dictatorship will be established. Mr Shanibov believes that Khadzhimba's supporters hear neither advices nor a voice of sense. "The situation can lead to interference from the outside, as it happened in Chechnya in its time," Mr Shanibov said.

During the Georgian-Abkhazian war, the battalion of the Confederation of Mountain Peoples under the command of Shamil Basayev rendered considerable help to Abkhazia.