The ministry said that "due to a change of circumstances, the Russian Federation no longer considered itself bound" by a resolution on the Abkhazia-Georgia conflict, which was adopted by the CIS Heads of State Council on January 19, 1996.

"Today the situation has changed drastically. The majority of ethnic Georgian refugees have returned to Abkhazia's Galsky district," the ministry said.

Abkhazia, with a population around 200,000, has plans to reiterate its calls for recognition of its de facto "independence" by Russia and major international organizations later this week.

Russia's lower house of parliament the State Duma is to discuss the issue of Georgia's breakaway republics of Abkhazia and South Ossetia on March 13.

The decision to lift transport sanctions on Abkhazia will significantly increase passenger and freight traffic via Georgia to Armenia, Russia's rail monopoly Russian Railways said.

RIA Novosti

Güncelleme Tarihi: 07 Mart 2008, 13:51