Sukhumi, 11 February: In refusing to recognize the independence of Abkhazia and South Ossetia and continuing to view them as parts of Georgia, the European Union has staked out an unconstructive position that could lead to an impasse in all talks between the republic's [Abkhazia] leadership and European structures, Abkhaz president Sergey Bagapsh has said.

"The latest PACE [Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe] resolution on the consequences of the [Georgian-Russian] war was not only not objective, but also based on a great lie put forth by the Georgian delegation," Bagapsh said at a meeting with EU special representative for the South Caucasus Peter Semneby on Wednesday [11 February] in Sukhumi.

He stressed that Abkhazia had no intention of holding more discussions or talks with either PACE or the EU on its recognition as an independent state.

"We respect Europeans and the EU, but the statements by that organization that they view Abkhazia as part of Georgia and the fact that they have repeatedly called on Moscow to revoke its decision about Abkhazia's independence - all of this is leading the situation between us to an impasse," the head of the republic said.

He stressed that Abkhazia would independently decide issues pertaining to foreign and domestic policy and that the EU would do well to appreciate this fact. In this connection, he added that Russia was a strategic partner for the republic and warned the European partners that any attempt to decide the fate of the republic with the leadership of the EU would be fruitless.

"It is we who decide all issues in Abkhazia. Russia, as our strategic partner, is pursuing a very flexible policy in regard to the EU, but they [the EU] do not understand it," Bagapsh said.

"If the commission [European Commission], experts, or EU diplomats have questions regarding Abkhazia, they should appeal to the Abkhaz leadership. We decide the issue of whether to let EU monitors into Abkhaz territory, whether to extend the UN mission's mandate in the republic - and its format - and whether foreign countries' ambassadors to Georgia will be able to come here," the president stressed.

"If they don't want to listen to us in the European Union and we cannot get anything done in this organization, we will have to ask ourselves a reasonable question: it is worth it for us to meet representatives of the EU for talks," Bagapsh said.

"We are ready to hold dialogue, but not with those who view Abkhazia as part of Georgia," he stressed.