14 May 2009, 23:10
German Embassy refuses visa to teenager from Abkhazia
The Embassy of the German Federal Republic in Russia refused to grant a visa to the young man from Abkhazia, aged 16, required to undergo a complicated surgery in one of clinics in Munich.
We remind you that in early April, the Embassy of Spain in Moscow refused visas to Abkhazian team, which was to participate for the first time in the annual European mini-football cup - Cup of Nations.
The German Embassy refused visa to the young patient under the pretext that "residents of Abkhazia should receive their visas in German Consulate in Tbilisi," as reported by Sergey Shamba, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Abkhazia, at the meeting in Sukhumi on May 13 with the UN High Commissioner on Human Rights.
"Such actions are contrary to universal humanitarian principles and are direct violations of the rights of Abkhazia's residents," said the head of the Abkhazian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The "Gazeta.Ru" Agency reports that no comments of the German diplomatic body are available so far.
In the end of April, the US Embassy in Moscow also refused visa to an Abkhazian MP. Edgar Kharaziya was in the list of the delegation that left to Washington to take part in the American-Russian business forum, as reported by the Internet edition "Our Abkhazia".
The "Caucasian Knot" reported earlier that in the end of February the Indian Embassy in Moscow refused visas to two women-citizens of Abkhazia - MFA employees, who wanted to go to India to take part in the international conference under the invitation of Dzhavaharlal Nehru University.
