In October 1999 the population of Abkhazia accepted a new constitution in a referendum, which included independence as a sovereign state. Obviously, some participants argued, the Georgian proposition of sharing constitutional powers is not acceptable to the Abkhaz side any longer. Federalism and an utmost degree of autonomy and confederate structures are compatible. The differences are mainly due to questions of definition. Only the claims for unitary states would be incompatible.
Experience shows that weak state structures in Georgia are an obstacle to decentralization.
On the other hand such arrangements are the only way for society to be reconciled. In regard to the Georgian-Abkhaz conflict, the high level of distrust between both parties necessitates high level international security guarantees and impartial strategies for their implementation. The United Nations as a community of nation states and not of non-state actors according to some participants are biased in this sense. Instead of securing those guarantees, they might prevent a solution. Only if the interests of both parties are taken into consideration, the OSCE or other international organizations may be able to secure concrete guarantees.