Hardening Ceasefire Lines in Protracted Secessionist Conflicts: From the Negotiating Table and International Law to Realities on the Ground in the Case of the Abkhaz–Georgian War

This is an open-access chapter examines the transformation of ceasefire lines (CfLs) in the context of protracted secessionist conflicts, focusing on the CfL separating Georgian and Abkhaz forces since 1994. The functions of CfLs evolve through time: while they initially serve to demarcate the geographical boundary of hostilities cessation, they gradually acquire additional functions, characteristics, and symbolic significance. Even if the overarching international law framework remains relatively stable, the interpretations that various actors give it evolve. International law has been used to justify the different understandings of what the CfL is and what it stands for, as well as the evolving provisions governing it and governing around it. This chapter explores claims and practices across three levels of analysis: the juridical dimension of borders and ceasefire lines; the legal frameworks and practices developed by Georgian, Abkhaz, and Russian authorities; and the inhabited dimension of the borderland.