SUKHUMI. Feb 4 (Interfax) - Abkhazia said Georgia wants to obstruct the Abkhaz people's international contacts and sees such attempts as discriminatory, counterproductive and not in keeping with the time.
"According to Italian media, the Georgian Foreign Ministry asked the Italian government to "apply measures" against the mayors of two Italian cities - Sarroch and Lanusei - for allowing 'unauthorized contacts' with representatives of the Republic of Abkhazia and the Republic of South Ossetia," the Abkhaz Foreign Ministry said in a statement circulated on Monday.
It said "contacts between the Abkhaz and Italian representatives, as well as the signing of a protocol on friendship and cooperation between the governments of Gagra (Abkhazia) and Sarroch (Italy) of August 24, 2013 are in full compliance with the constitution of the Italian Republic."
"Georgia's moves can be qualified as interference in the sovereign state's internal affairs," it said.
"The Georgian Foreign Ministry's calls on the Italian government to put administrative pressure on the democratically elected self-governments, are absurd and only demonstrate the authoritarian mentality of the Georgian Foreign Ministry," the statement says.
"The signing of the Protocol of Friendship and Cooperation between Gagra and Sarroch made it possible to liven up cultural and humanitarian interaction between citizens of the two countries. Therefore, we see Georgia's desire to obstruct Abkhaz citizens' international contacts as a discriminatory and counterproductive practice, which is not in keeping with the time," the Abkhaz Foreign Ministry said.
"The principles and approaches set forth in the notorious Georgian Law on Occupied Territories, harm Abkhaz citizens' inalienable rights and liberties, and Georgia's long-term interests," the Abkhaz Foreign Ministry said.