S. Zurabishvili, the Georgian President during her speech in the Parliament of Georgia on December 11, 2020 called on to search new approaches for rapprochement "with our Abkhaz and Ossetian population living in the occupied regions." In her view, Georgia should "seek ways to bridging with the peoples of the occupied regions - Abkhazia and South Ossetia."

Apparently, the President of Georgia is seriously convinced that by calling on the parliament to search some new approaches to rapprochement with the “Abkhazian population”, she pleasantly surprised both the public of her country and the citizens of the Republic of Abkhazia. At the same time, it remains a mystery what the novelty of these approaches may be and how they are supposed to be implemented. The President of Georgia did not speak in detail on this topic.

At the same time, S. Zurabishvili's rhetoric leaves no doubt as to what such new approaches might be. It makes it clear to us what exclusively “the population of the occupied regions” means. Apparently, according to the Georgian leaders’ view, rapprochement can be carried out only through various kinds of dubious programs, such as "Step to a Better Future", aimed at the gradual integration of Abkhazia into Georgia. However, a clear understanding of the existing realities should have convinced Tbilisi that such approaches would not work.

If in Georgia there really was an interest in demonstrating of a desire to change the previous policy towards Abkhazia, then new approaches would have first to be put into practice, for example, on the platform of the Geneva discussions.

But, as the recent 51-st round of the MGD showed, that Georgia is not yet ready for such a rethinking of its policy. Otherwise, the Georgian side would have shown a more constructive position and would not have persisted in agreeing of a document on the non-use of force between Abkhazia and Georgia. The adoption of such a document would become a real indicator of qualitative changes in Tbilisi's approaches to the Republic of Abkhazia. Attempts to present various humanitarian programs for the "population of the occupied regions" will only have a negative effect, further postponing the possibility of equal and trusting dialogue between Abkhazia and Georgia.

Taking into account the above, we call on the Georgian side to show the necessary flexibility and, focusing on the existing political realities, take steps to create conditions for the agreement and subsequent adoption of a document on the non-use of force between Abkhazia and Georgia.