Russia plans to bolster Abkhazia outpost
30/1/2009Notwithstanding optimism about a possible positive turn in NATO-Russian relations this year, Moscow seems determined to enhance its military presence in Georgia’s breakaway regions, a move that will not help the setup of a strategic partnership with the West.
In the latest in a series of announcements causing concern within Nato, Moscow said it wanted to deploy about 20 military aircraft at a former Soviet airfield near Gudauta. The move came just days after the Kremlin suggested it would seek to build a naval base at Ochamchira, giving Russia a fresh port in the Black Sea.
[…] The parliamentary assembly of the Council of Europe (Pace) condemned the Russian military presence and building of new military bases in Georgia’s breakaway regions in a resolution this week. The assembly said Moscow’s recognition of Abkhazian and South Ossetian independence violated international law.
Pierre Morel, the European Commission’s representative in the region, said any military build-up near the conflict zone could create “additional problems”.
South Caucasus, together with Ukraine, will continue to be the focus of Moscow’s geostrategy, as Russia needs to control such regions to be able to project significant military power (and political influence) in its Near Abroad and in Eastern Europe.
