Abkhazia was awaiting preliminary results Sunday from a presidential
election that pitted Russia against Georgia as each tried to shape the
political course of the separatist Georgian region.About
two thirds of around 130,000 registered voters cast their ballots
Saturday at polling stations throughout the small, subtropical province
on the Black Sea coast. It was the first vote since Moscow recognized
Abkhazia's independence in the wake of Russia's war with Georgia in
August 2008.
Each voter had his passport stamped to avoid fraud
and ...