Political analysts associate Sergey Lavrov's visit to Sukhumi with parliamentary elections in Abkhazia

Sergey Lavrov, Russian Foreign Minister, has visited Sukhumi in connection with the forthcoming replacement of the Ambassador and the need to get acquainted with the new Speaker of the Parliament and to learn about the situation after the internal political conflict in Abkhazia. This opinion was voiced by Russian political analysts Konstantin Zatulin and Alexander Krylov. Sergey Lavrov held official meetings in Abkhazia behind closed doors.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that on April 18-19, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov visited Abkhazia and took part in the opening ceremony of a new building of the Russian Embassy in Sukhumi. The Georgian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) called the Sergey Lavrov's visit a provocation. Georgian political analysts interviewed by the "Caucasian Knot" believe that Russia does not want normalization of relations with Georgia.

On April 19, Sergey Lavrov held talks with Abkhazian President Raul Khadjimba.

The Russian Foreign Minister has outlined the topics to be worked out, including the situation at the Russian-Abkhaz border and the property relations.

According to Konstantin Zatulin, the director of the Institute of Diaspora and Integration (Institute of CIS countries), a member of the Council for External and Internal Defence Policy and a member of the Public Chamber of Russia, the motives for the Sergey Lavrov's visit to Abkhazia can be explained by two points: from a formal point of view, the Russian Foreign Minister arrived to the neighbouring country to attend the opening of the Embassy, and from an informal one, his visit can be associated with the desire to observe the problems of Abkhazia.

Formally, the Sergey Lavrov's arrival is connected with the opening of the Russian Embassy. However, the real reason is in the situation about the elections. This opinion was expressed by Alexander Krylov, the leader of the Centre for Post-Soviet Studies and the head of the Caucasus Department of the Primakov National Research Institute of World Economy and International Relations (IMEMO) of the Russian Academy of Sciences.

Full text of the article is available on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’.