Berne, 29 March 1999

International Bureau Circular 106

Georgia - Illegal postage stamp issues



Dear Sir/Madam

The Ministry of Posts and Communications of GEORGIA asks me to inform you of the following:

"The so-called Republic of Abkhazia and Republic of South Ossetia continue to issue postage stamps. Those to have just appeared are stamps bearing the inscription 'Republic of Abkhazia' in Russian and Abkhazian and a caricature of President Clinton and Ms Lewinsky, and stamps bearing the words 'Batumi Post' in Georgian, Russian and English.

"In accordance with article 5 of the Universal Postal Convention, 'Only postal administrations shall issue postage stamps attesting payment of postage…."

"The Ministry of Posts and Communications of Georgia therefore states that, as Abkhazia and South Ossetia form an integral part of the Republic of Georgia, all postage stamps bearing the words 'Republic of Abkhazia', 'Republic of South Ossetia' and 'Batumi Post' are illegal and cannot be used as a method of payment."

Yours faithfully,

M S RAMAN
Assistant Director-General