How Berezovsky wanted to rent Pitsunda

The death of fluent Russian oligarch Boris Berezovsky couldn't but cause new surge in interest to the identity of the person whom hated in the homeland but to which had very much a kind feeling in the West. Among a large number of information garbage it is possible to meet memoirs of people these days who dealt with Berezovsky, so to say, duty-bound.

The interesting selection was published by the independent information - analytical agency “Abkhaz Uzel”:

- Today among the responses in mass media on sudden death in England of “demon of the Russian policy” Boris Berezovsky met such statement of the former ambassador of Georgia in the Russian Federation and then the state minister of Georgia Vazha Lortkipanidze: “I knew well Boris Abramovich”.

In 1997-1999 he actively participated in process of settlement of the Abkhazian conflict taking into account the interests of the Abkhazian party on the basis of the principle of territorial integrity of Georgia. He considered that conflict settlement on the basis of the principle of territorial integrity of Georgia will be favourable both to Georgians and Abkhazians and Russia”.

The formulation, of course, are still those, from the category of “fried ice”, like the memorable Gorbachev slogan “More democracy, more socialism!” Or the kind intention to feed a fox with the chicken meat taking into account the interests of inhabitants of a hen house.

As one of the Abkhazian Internet users joked, Berezovsky entered and left the history of Abkhazia with his shuttle diplomacy in the late nineties. The lively activity of the deputy the secretary of Security Council of Russia arriving, by the way, to Abkhazia in July, 1997 together with well-known Zurab Zhvania and Badri Patarkatsishvili, ended with what had to end, that is nothing.

However, he was not so only such “peacekeeper” in Russia, trying to convince Abkhazians that after a victory in bloody war they have to capitulate. (“Spice-cakes” were offered such: you will be included again into structure of Georgia, and Russia will unblock the border on Psou). Perhaps, therefore Boris Abramovich was remembered to a general population in Abkhazia not so much as the politician, as many as the money-bag who has stated the offer to buy something here. More precisely, to lease Pitsunda’s resort. That is he “also sewed a little bit”.

The vice-chairman of the Fund of the first president of the Republic of Abkhazia Vladislav Ardzinba Astamur Tania worked as the Assistant of the President in the late nineties and when Berezovsky participated in 1997th in discussion of the draft of the protocol of the Georgian-Abkhazian settlement and when in 1998th – the draft agreement of the peace. Here what memories of B. Berezovsky he shared:

“Certainly, Boris Abramovich left the bright impression. I didn't meet people with such business grasp, with such intuition. By the way, he said that always relies on intuition. He is the good mathematician and cited as an example Egor Timurovich Gaidar: “Gaidar counts well, but if he was mistaken in one sign, all his design falls and I rely only on intuition. In spite of the fact, that I am the Doctor of Physics and Mathematics”.

During this period he felt that it is possible to receive the bright political result, having achieved settlement between Abkhazia and Georgia, even if intermediate. But so developed circumstance though another seemed to him: just about something will be signed, that all these documents remained the projects. Here the competitive fight in the Russian management, especially between Berezovsky and Primakov played a role. And the basic difference in positions of the “Abkhazian and Georgian parties” was the main reason, of course.

Negotiations with Berezovsky's participation took place in Gagra, New Athos, Sukhumi. Conversation about Pitsunda, Astamur Tania remembers, had informal, half-joking character and took place behind a dining table in New Athos. Boris Berezovsky right there began to estimate, what sums of investments there should be put …