Georgia: Abkhazia Allows Residents to Seek Medical Aid in Georgian-Controlled Territory

In a rare display of the spirit of cooperation, Georgia and the renegade territory of Abkhazia have agreed to allow Abkhaz patients to seek medical treatment in health-care facilities within Georgia proper.

The Kavkazsky Uzel news service reported that the agreement was reached during routine European Union-mediated talks on November 3. Ministry of Internal Affairs senior official Shota Utiashvili, who chaired the Georgian mission, said that the Abkhaz agreed not to prevent health patients from crossing the administrative boundary between Abkhazia and the Georgian-controlled region of Samegrelo, the Russian-language Novosti Gruzia news service reported on November 4.

Abkhaz officials, in turn, have requested that Georgia stop detaining Abkhazia-bound commercial ships in the Black Sea, the GHN news agency reported. Georgia has conducted a naval blockade against Abkhazia since 2004.