Georgia calls on Abkhazia to reopen borders

Georgia calls on Abkhazia to reopen bordersMoscow/Tbilisi - Georgia called on the breakaway region of Abkhazia to immediately reopen its borders, calling their closure a violation of the 1994 ceasefire agreement, Interfax news agency reported Tuesday.

Abkhazia unilaterally separated from Georgia in 1992, which was followed by an 1992-93 armed conflict which saw Georgian forces defeated and a ceasefire agreed in 1994.

International organizations, including the United Nations, the European Union and others, still recognize the Black Sea region as a part of Georgia, but the separatist government is supported by Russia.

The head of the Georgian parliamentary committee for the reintegration of the region, Shota Malashiya, said the ceasefire agreement demands unhindered movement across the border between Georgia and Abkhazia.

Tbilisi also appealed to the UN to condemn "this violation of human rights."

Six people were wounded in twin bomb blasts Monday in Sukhumi, capital of Abkhazia, with officials blaming neighbouring Georgia for responsibility and announcing the closure of the border.

On Sunday, two bombs went off in the city of Gagra, north-west of Sukhumi. (dpa)