Abkhazian Premier promises not to hold a referendum on joining Russia

Abkhazia intends to be independent and will not try to join Russia, the Prime Minister Arthur Mikvabiya has stated today in his comment on the plans of South-Ossetian leadership to hold a referendum on accession to the Russian Federation.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that on April 1, Leonid Tibilov, the President of South Ossetia announced plans to hold a referendum on the republic's accession to Russia.

Arthur Mikvabiya, the Abkhazia's Premier, said in his comment on the plans of South-Ossetian authorities to hold a referendum on accession to Russia that "Sukhumi won't follow this way," the RIA "Novosti" reports.

"The motives of Tskhinvali are clear: Ossetians are a split nation – some of them live in Russia; some – in South Ossetia. Therefore, they have a desire to reunite. We have a different situation and want to be an independent state... We've deserved our independence and sacrificed thousands of lives of our best sons and daughters for it," the RIA "Novosti" quotes Mr Mikvabiya as saying.

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