OSCE Human Dimension Conference: Dr. Yasemin Oral Highlights Circassian and Abkhazian Issues
Dr. Yasemin Oral, the Vice-President of the Federation of Caucasian Associations (KAFFED), in Türkiye delivered a compelling address.
SUKHUM / AQW'A — At the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) - Human Dimension Conference in Warsaw, Dr. Yasemin Oral, the Vice-President of the Federation of Caucasian Associations (KAFFED), in Türkiye delivered a compelling address. She was invited to speak by the International Minority Rights Group and represented her federation.
Dr. Oral's speech primarily centred on the rights and challenges of the Circassian and Abkhazian communities, both in their diasporas and in their ancestral lands.
A day after Dr. Yasemin Oral's noteworthy speech at the plenary session of the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) - Conference on the Human Dimension on 11 October 2023, a significant development emerged as the Georgian delegation voiced their dissent.
Presidential-Hotel Proposed for Former Abkhazian Council of Ministers' Site?
President Bzhania's proposal to erect a hotel on the historic site of the former Council of Ministers building stirs controversy and public opposition.
Ekho Kavkaza | Vitaly Sharia — A video clip circulating in the Abkhazian social media community captured a meeting between the President of Abkhazia, Aslan Bzhania, and Abkhazian students in Moscow. The content sparked a whirlwind of negative reactions and perplexity online, with criticisms coming not just from the established critics of the government.
During the gathering, the conversation pivoted to the 12-story building that housed the Council of Ministers in Sukhum, which was consumed by fire during the Abkhazian forces' takeover in the climactic stages of the Georgian-Abkhazian war of 1992-93. This event coincidentally occurred just a week prior to the similarly tragic assault on Moscow’s so-called White House, which also resulted in a fire following a confrontation between the president and the parliament. While Moscow's structure was promptly renovated, assessments of the Sukhum building in the ‘90s deemed it irreparable due to the extent of the fire damage. However, a change in perspective occurred during Raul Khajimba's presidency when Moscow specialists expressed the possibility of a restoration. Yet, just last year, the "Ekho Kavkaza" relayed that Russian scientists, in collaboration with the Abkhazian Academy of Sciences, evaluated the building's structural integrity, revealing it retained 76% of its initial capacity, deeming anything below 50% as critical. Consequently, with the building's declining stability, it appears increasingly logical to either replace it or transform the site into a park. But it wasn't this topic that ignited the public's fervour.
Adgur Ardzinba's Warning to Potential Investors, Beware!

Adgur Ardzinba, leader of the Abkhazian People’s Movement, recently unveiled sketches from 2016 that proposed the restoration of the fire-damaged Council of Ministers building in Sukhum. He critically responded to President Aslan Bzhania's intention of turning the site over to an investor. Ardzinba asserts that the leadership, considering turning this historic landmark into a hotel, seems disconnected from the ground reality.
Adgur Ardzinba, leader of the Abkhazian People's Movement and former Minister of Economy, has showcased three design sketches from March 2016 that depict potential reconstructions of the former Council of Ministers building. These designs, which can be viewed on the Ministry of Economy’s website, were crafted by Moscow's “Design and Construction Center.”
“Under the directive of President Raul Khajimba, ‘Abkhazstroy’ put forth an initial design highlighting potential restoration approaches for the structure. These were preliminary concepts meant for presentation. Discussions revolved around the possible revival of the building, progressing to the point where experts physically evaluated the site. To be honest, I'm not privy to the subsequent developments, but I was aware of initiatives regarding this edifice. Kazanba, who was at the helm of ‘Abkhazstroy’ at the time, shared these designs with me during my tenure as the Minister of Economy. The deliberations were whether to resurrect the building to its original glory or, given the extent of damage, raze it entirely. However, there was consensus that the building's ownership should remain with the state—a sentiment I wholeheartedly share. After all, it’s a landmark edifice for our nation. And all endeavours were aligned with this perspective.”
E-Library
Aspects of the Georgian-Abkhaz Conflict - Volume 1-15
Аспекты грузино-абхазского конфликта - Том 1-15 | Aspects of the Georgian-Abkhaz Conflict - Volume 1-15
Publisher: University of California, Irvine (UCI)
Years: 1999 - 2008
Volumes: 1 - 15
Published by: Brill
Editors: Paula Garb, Arda Inal-ipa, Paata Zakareishvili
Language: Russian (partly English)
The series 'Aspects of the Georgian-Abkhaz Conflict' chronicles the Georgian-Abkhaz dialogue conferences. Initiated in 1997 under the University of California, Irvine (UCI) auspices, the dialogue's reach has expanded since 2004, drawing in several international organizations. Key collaborators include the Heinrich Boell Foundation (Berlin), Conciliation Resources (London), and International Alert (London). The 2008 conference, as well as this publication, were jointly organised and funded by HBF, CR, and UCI’s Center for Citizen Peacebuilding.
Each volume can be downloaded in PDF format by clicking the titles at https://abkhazworld.com/aw/publications/e-library/2547-aspects-of-the-georgian-abkhaz-conflict-vol-1-15