By Christian Lowe
MOSCOW (Reuters) - Georgia is offering to resolve its rowwith Russia over the breakaway Abkhazia region by splitting itinto Georgian and Russian spheres of influence, a newspapersaid on Friday, citing officials in both countries.
Abkhazia is recognised as part of Georgia but it is run byseparatists with support from Moscow. Friction between theex-Soviet neighbours over the region has alarmed Western statesworried about a conflagration near a vital oil export route.
Russia's Kommersant newspaper said Georgia was offering toaccept the separatists' de facto control and the presence ofRussian peacekeepers in the northern part of Abkhazia,including the capital, Sukhumi.
In exchange, Tbilisi wants Russian peacekeepers to withdrawfrom the Gali and Ochamchira districts in the south of Abkhaziaand for ethnic Georgians -- who used to be in a majority in thetwo districts -- to be allowed to return, the newspaper said.
Officials in Moscow and Tbilisi could not immediately bereached to comment on the report.
Kommersant said it had been told of the proposal byofficials in the Russian foreign ministry and in the Georgiangovernment.
It said Georgian Deputy Foreign Minister Grigol Vashadzehad presented the proposal at a meeting in Moscow on Mondaywith his Russian counterpart, Grigory Karasin.
Under Tbilisi's proposal, the whole of Abkhazia wouldremain part of Georgia but with wide autonomy, Kommersantreported.
WINTER OLYMPIC THREAT
Since the start of this year, Russia has establishedsemi-official links to the separatists and sent in extratroops.
Aspiring NATO member Georgia accused Russia of trying toannex the region sandwiched between the Black Sea and theCaucasus mountains.
Tbilisi's Western allies warned Moscow it was stokingtensions in a part of the world that is emerging as a majortransit route for oil exports.
A BP-led pipeline pumps about 1 million barrels a day ofCaspian Sea crude through Georgia to the Turkish Mediterraneanport of Ceyhan.
Georgian forces were driven out of Abkhazia in a separatistwar in the early 1990s. Western diplomats say the stand-off hasbecome so tense that for a time this year there was a realdanger of a resumption of hostilities.
In one incident, the United Nations said a Russian airforce jet shot down an unmanned Georgian spy plane overAbkhazia, though Moscow denied involvement.
Some observers warn if no solution is found, the conflictcould jeopardise the 2014 Winter Olympics which Russia ishosting just a few kilometres from the border with Abkhazia.
(Additional reporting by Margarita Antidze in Tbilisi;Writing by Christian Lowe; Editing by Keith Weir)
