EU, US refusal to recognize Abkhas polls regrettable-view.

MOSCOW, December 15 (Itar-Tass) - The refusal of the European Union
(EU) and the United States to recognize the legitimacy of the presidential
elections in Abkhazia and of their results can evoke only regret,
emphasized Leonid Slutsky, First Deputy Chairman of the Committee on
International Affairs of the State Duma lower house of the Russian
parliament.
"The elections, held in Abkhazia on December 12, and as a result of
which Sergei Bagapsh was re-elected the republic's president, are first of
all an evidence of stable development of society. The non-recognition of
the election results is an attempt at depriving the Abkhas people of their
right to freedom and democracy," the House member said.
The Deputy Chairman of the Committee recalled a precedent for the
recognition of Kosovo's independence, the legitimacy of which is currently
disputed at the Hague court on the strength of a suit filed by Serbia.
"Facts concerning the formation of government bodies, including
executive ones, have become part of the plan suggested by Maarti Ahtisaari
for the separation of Kosovo from Serbia, which was subsequently
recognized by most of EU countries. At that time they kept mum about
territorial integrity," Slutsky said.
He pointed out that the elections in Abkhazia had been monitored by
observers not only from Russia but from Europe as well. "No serious
infractions in voting procedures were revealed and monitors pointed out
that the polls were held completely in accordance with the due
international electoral standards," the House member said.
On Monday, the Central Electoral Commission of Abkhazia made public
the final official data on the elections, according to which the present
president of the republic, Sergei Bagapsh, gained an absolute majority of
votes -- 61.16 percent, with 62,231 people voting for him. Voter turnout
was 73 percent.
-0-pop