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Breakaway Abkhazia votes in poll Breakaway Abkhazia votes in poll
(about 10 hours later)
People in Abkhazia, a Black Sea region trying to break away from Georgia since a 1990s war, are voting in parliamentary elections. People in Abkhazia, a Black Sea region trying to break away from Georgia since a 1990s war, have voted in parliamentary elections.
Georgia's government has vowed to re-assert control over the region. Georgia has vowed to take back control of the region and has condemned the polls as illegitimate.
Abkhazia is a key factor in the long-running political conflict between Georgia and Russia, which has expressed support for the separatists' ambitions. Abkhazia is a key factor in the long-running political conflict between Georgia and Russia.
None of the candidates in this election is proposing that Abkhazia should ever unite with Georgia again. Russia has expressed support for the separatists' ambitions and backed them both politically and economically.
More than a decade after the war here, most people believe independence is their destiny. War-scarred
The separatist Abkhaz authorities hope the vote will demonstrate the region has the potential to become an independent democratic state. As he cast his vote, the president of the breakaway region, Sergei Bagapsh, said the elections were being held in a state where there was both an opposition and a free press.
But the Georgian government insists Abkhazia is part of Georgia and these elections are not legitimate. It is very important because these elections will mean that Abkhazia is a self-reliant republic Female voter
Boycott Officials in the capital, Sukhumi, hope the polls will demonstrate Abkhazia has the potential to become an independent democratic country.
Tensions have been high in the Gali region, which has a large ethnic Georgian population and where there have been reports of several violent disputes in recent months. In Sukhumi, which still bears the scars of the war more than a decade ago, voters echoed their leader's views and said there should be no return to violence.
Abkhazia never will be Russian - they can just dream about that when they will sleep Ethnic Georgian in Gali "I think this new government should bring peace and stability to Abkhazia because we're a country that survived such a tough war," one woman told me.
Gali still bears the scars of the war more than a decade ago. Some houses are abandoned while others lie derelict through poverty and neglect. One voter said that, for Abkhazia's future, it is really important for it to become a sovereign democratic state.
Around 250,000 people fled the fighting but some ethnic Georgians have since returned to Gali. Many of them say they will boycott this weekend's elections. "It is very important because these elections will mean that Abkhazia is a self-reliant republic," another woman told me.
Like the Georgian government and the international community, they believe the polls are not legitimate because Abkhazia is legally part of Georgia. "For me personally, as an ordinary citizen, it means I have the right to come and make my own choice," she said.
Some Abkhaz separatists eventually want to join the Russian Federation but many ethnic Georgians reject this. The Georgian government has denounced the polls. It says Abkhazia must remain part of Georgia.
"Abkhazia never will be Russian. They can just dream about that when they will sleep," says one Gali resident. The Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili said his generation would not compromise with separatists.
Talks stalled Calm conflict
Russia has peacekeeping troops in the region and is supporting the Abkhaz separatists politically and economically. He said the 250,000 Georgians who fled the war in Abkhazia would not be forgotten.
But Georgia believes Moscow is manipulating the conflict to maintain its influence in the region. Georgia regards this as ethnic cleansing. No country recognises Abkhazia's claims to independence but the Abkhaz's Foreign Minister, Sergei Shamba, said he believed this would change.
More than a decade after the war, negotiations to end this conflict have stalled. "International organisations and states are not yet able to recognise our elections because this would also mean recognition of our state," Mr Shamba said.
The results of this election are unlikely to bring a peace settlement any closer. "But our objective is to show everyone that we meet modern European standards," he said.
While people went to vote, Russian peace-keeping troops and United Nations monitors continued to man their checkpoints and patrol the streets.
Peace negotiations have broken down.
Abkhazia may appear to be calm but it remains a conflict zone.