Georgia up in arms over Olympic cash

A bitter diplomatic row has broken out over Russia's plans to harness the economic potential of a breakaway republic in neighbouring Georgia to prepare for the 2014 Winter Olympics.

There were wild celebrations in Moscow last month when Russia's Black Sea resort of Sochi was chosen to host the games despite having practically no infrastructure in place. [More]

Russia has no plans to engage Abkhazia in Olympic projects - FM

Russia has never raised the question of attracting Abkhazia for the construction of Olympic facilities in Sochi, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Wednesday.

“None of the Russian officials has ever raised such a question anywhere,” Lavrov said, responding to mass media reports.

Earlier, U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs Matthew Bryza said in Tbilisi, Georgia, that attempts to involve Abkhazia in the Sochi Olympic projects would be an impermissible mistake on the part of Russia. [More]

Top Georgian threatens Olympic boycott

A top Georgian politician on Tuesday threatened a boycott against the 2014 Winter Olympics in the Russian city of Sochi if Moscow included a rebel province of Georgia in construction plans.

Nino Burdzhanadze was responding to comments made by Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Zhukov, who said building materials for Olympic facilities could be brought to Sochi from neighbouring Abkhazia.

"He clearly forgot that Russian jurisdiction does not extend over the territory of Abkhazia," Burdzhanadze said in an interview. [More]

Russia should not involve Abkhazia in 2014 Olympics - Georgia

Russia has no right to use Abkhazia's territory for the Winter Olympics in 2014 without official approval from Tbilisi, Georgia's parliamentary speaker said commenting on an article published in the Russian press Thursday.

Russian daily Nezavisimaya Gazeta published an article Thursday stating that Russia plans to site Olympic facilities in the self-proclaimed republic of Abkhazia, suggesting that investment in the project could reach hundreds of millions of dollars.

"If Russia without Georgia's official approval invests funds to develop facilities for the Sochi Olympics, then we should remind Russia that Abkhazia is the sovereign territory of Georgia. If Russia continues with capital investment in the region, then the Sochi Olympics will share the same fate as those held in Moscow," Nino Burdzhanadze said. [More]