Abkhaz and Ossetian People will be Able to study or Travel to U.S. with Status Neutral Travel Documents

U.S. embassies and consulates will accept Neutral Travel Documents in near future, that will enable Abkhaz and Ossetian people to travel and study in the U.S.  State Secretary Hillary Clinton stated at the press conference with Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvil on May 5 in Batumi.

“Today we also discussed ways Georgia can reach out to the people of Abkhazia and South Ossetia regions, including providing status neutral travel documents and identification cards. Soon U.S. embassies and consulates around the world will accept the status neutral travel document for any resident from these regions who chooses to use them for travel or study and in the United States. This would be a strong step towards reconciliation and supports a peaceful and just resolution of the conflict,” Hillary Clinton said.

Saakashvili speaks of three “very important messages' from Clinton’s visit which deal which cooperation in defense field, they recognized the status of neutral travel documents and to send observers during elections.

“The United States have recognized [status neutral travel] documents, which we have issued for our compatriots living in Abkhazia and Tskhinvali Region; until now these documents were recognized only by some Baltic states and Japan; now the United States has also recognized it and it means that many others will follow the suit. It will allow our compatriots [in breakaway Abkhazia and South Ossetia] not to take forcefully [imposed] Russian passports and instead travel throughout the world with the documents issued by the Georgian state; it is a huge diplomatic support from the U.S. administration,” he said.

Georgia introduced, what it calls, neutral travel documents and identification cards for those living in breakaway Abkhazia and South Ossetia in an attempt to allow holders of those documents to travel abroad and enjoy various social services and benefits available in the rest of Georgia. Sokhumi and Tskhinvali, which have slammed these documents, said that Georgia’s neutral travel documents were in fact pushing these two regions into further isolation.

According to Interpresnews and Civil Georgia