U.S. Ambassador to the OSCE Stephan Minikes underlined in Sukhumi on Tuesday that the United States supports both the territorial integrity of Georgia and President Saakashvili's attempts to reunite the country. "Neither the international community nor the United States will ever recognize the independence of Abkhazia," he said as quoted by Prime News.

Minikes called on the Abkhaz authority to return to negotiations. Although Speaker of the Sukhumi Parliament Nugzar Ashuba agreed to resume negotiations, he underlined that Abkhazia will never be part of Georgia. "We are ready for any sacrifice to maintain our freedom", said Ashuba.

Minikes was part of a delegation of diplomats from OSCE member-states which visited Abkhazia on September 7th. According to the Russian Regnum news agency the delegation met with deputies of the unrecognized republic and familiarized itself with the situation there. They discussed issues concerning the resolution of the Georgian-Abkhaz conflict, the political status of Abkhazia, and repatriation of refugees and internally displaced persons.

Source: The Messenger