§ Mrs. MahonTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the Georgian Ambassador concerning the current dispute between the Ajara region and the Government. of Georgia; and if he will make a statement. [165017]
§ Mr. RammellForeign and Commonwealth Office officials have raised with the new Georgian Ambassador the dispute between the central authorities in Tbilisi and the regional Ajaran leader Aslan Abashidze, which came to a head after President Saakashvili was denied access to Ajara on 14 March. Neither I nor my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary have yet met the Ambassador, who presented his credentials to HM The Queen on 23 March.
EU Heads of Mission in Tbilisi, including the UK Chargé d'Affaires raised Ajara with the Georgian Foreign Minister on 25 March They stressed their strong support for Georgia's territorial integrity; expressed their concern at the recent increase in tensions between Tbilisi and Batumi and urged both sides to refrain from actions likely to increase tensions further; and to engage in dialogue with a view to a peaceful resolution of the differences. Similar messages were given to Asian Abashidze when Heikke Talvitie, the EU Special Representative, met him on 31 March accompanied by representatives of the local EU Troika (including the UK).
We welcome the agreements reached between President Saakashvili and Asian Abashidze when they met in Batumi on 18 March. It is important for Georgia's stability and prosperity that the Ajaran region contributes to central budgetary funds.
We welcome the fact that Georgian parliamentary elections held on 28 March passed off peacefully in the Ajaran region.