Columbia International Affairs Online
CIAO DATE: 6/5/2007
Europe’s Unrecognised Neighbours: The EU in Abkhazia and South Ossetia
March 2007
Centre for European Policy Studies
Abstract
The EU can do little to achieve its policy objectives in its Eastern neighbourhood without facing the issue of secessionist conflicts. This paper deals with EU policy towards Georgia and the secessionist regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia. It discusses the reasons for and constraints on EU policies, their effects and perception in the secessionist entities. The paper concludes with recommendations on how the EU can contribute to conflict resolution in Georgia through a greater inclusion of the conflict regions into the European Neighbourhood Policy.
