DECREE ISSUED BY THE SUPREME COUNCIL OF THE ABKHAZ ASSR on the 10th Session of the Supreme Council of the Abkhaz ASSR of the 11th Convocation

Having addressed the report of the Deputy Chairman of the Presidium of the Supreme Council of the Abkhaz ASSR V.G. Kholbaia “on the 10th Session of the Supreme Council of the Abkhaz ASSR”, the Supreme Council of the Abkhaz ASSR gathered at its extraordinary Session notes that on 25 August 1990 the group of deputies of the Supreme Council of the Abkhaz ASSR adopted the resolution “On legal guaranties of the State Protection” and the Declaration “On state Sovereignty of the Soviet Socialist Republic of Abkhazia”.

Groundless and malicious accusations toward Georgia and Georgian people, ignorance of historical justice reflected in the reports and speeches and formalized in the issued Decree lead to the confrontation and destabilization.

The Supreme Council and the leadership of the Presidium failed to march in step with the process of reforms and democratization.  They failed to elaborate recommendations in order to solve the accumulated problems, including the problems relating to the inter-ethnic relations. For more than a year and a half we have failed to convene the session and discuss already matured vital important issues, those that shall be solved expeditiously.

But since June of this year the leadership of the Supreme Council has made several attempts to discuss the main issues without prior consultations with the public and deputies.  Consequently the thousands of working people at their meetings and gatherings expressed their negative attitude toward the idea of the state sovereignty of Abkhazia unilaterally formulated by certain groups of people.

Expressing their attitude to the Session of 28 July 1990, more than 80 deputies of the Supreme Council of the Abkhaz ASSR out of 140 boycotted it.  A large group of the Soviet and Party officials, representatives of the working people, many citizens of Abkhazia protested the Decree of the Presidium.  The meeting of the People’s Deputies of all levels, representing the vast majority of the population of Abkhazia adopted the declaration on 23 August on holding the session on August 25 of this year with the noted agenda.  However, these valid requests, aimed at normalization of the situation at the Supreme Council, haven’t been heard and responded by the Presidium.

On 25 August 1990 the group of deputies arbitrarily gathered themselves in the session Hall of the Supreme Council of the Abkhaz ASSR.  Some of them where delivered there against their will.  The supreme Council made an attempt to declare the independence of Abkhazia without taking into account the desire of the vast majority of the indigenous population, considering that the Abkhazs “are authorized” to live in their common homeland - Georgia on the basis of a treaty-relation.

Confidentially prepared draft of the declaration hasn’t been published.  Even the most of the Deputies of the Presidium knew nothing about the declaration that became unexpected surprise for the deputies that had gathered at the hall.  The organizers of the session hesitated to include into agenda the issue regarding the declaration.

The preparation of the session and its conduct was a vivid example of the usurpation of the sovereign rights of the people and such conduct cannot be abandoned without the adequate response and reasonable counter-measures.

We reaffirm that all people have undeniable right to determine the own destiny but we have to give a political assessment to the situation established in Abkhazia and to those acts the decision on state independence is based on.

In accordance with the Decree of the Presidium of the Supreme council of the Georgian SSR of 26 August 1990 “on the Decision Taken by the Supreme Council of the Abkhaz ASSR on 25 August 1990”, the issued documents shall be recognized null and void and having no legal force…

The Supreme Council of the Abkhaz ASSR decrees:

1. To abrogate anti-Constitutional, unlawful and legally groundless Decision taken by the Supreme Council of the Abkhaz ASSR on 25 August 1990 “On legal Guaranties of the State protection of Abkhazia” that violates the territorial integrity of Georgia and to denounce “the Declaration on Abkhazia’s State Sovereignty” as it runs counter to the legal interests of the vast majority of the population of Abkhazia.

2. To condemn the accusations toward Georgia and Georgian people announced at the Session on 25 August 1990.  Such allegations do not correspond to the historical justice and lead the confrontation and destabilization.

3. To endorse the Decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Council of the Georgian SSR of 26 August 1990 “on the Decision Taken by the Supreme Council of the Abkhaz ASSR on 25 August 1990” as the document responding to the legal interests of the vast majority of the population of Abkhazia.

4. To set up a Commission of Deputies for investigation the facts of breach of the regulations, procedural issues and order of registration of deputies, as well as the facts of exerting influence upon certain deputies using unlawful and non-democratic methods, which took place at the Session on 25 August 1990.

8. To forward this Decree to the Supreme Council of the USSR, Supreme Council of the Georgian SSR and Supreme Council of the RSFSR; to publish the Decree in press.

The Deputy Chairman of the Presidium of the Supreme council of the Abkhaz SSR V. Kholbaia

For the Secretary of the Presidium of the Supreme council of the Abkhaz SSR R. Salukvadze

31 August 1990

(Newspaper “Sabchota Abkhazeti” # 171, 6 October 1990)