Abkhazian Foreign Ministry Welcomes Turkish Parliamentary Move on Passport Recognition
SUKHUM / AQW'A — The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Abkhazia has commented on an initiative by a group of Turkish parliamentary deputies calling for the recognition of Abkhazian passports and the opening of direct sea links, describing it as the result of years of systematic work to overcome the country's international isolation.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Abkhazia has said that it is following closely an initiative by a group of deputies in the Turkish parliament calling for the recognition of Abkhazian passports and the opening of direct sea communication.
In its comment, the ministry described the emergence of such discussions as an objective process, driven by an awareness of people's genuine needs rather than short-term political calculation. It stressed that this was the result of systematic work by the republic's leadership, its diplomats, the Plenipotentiary Mission of Abkhazia in Turkey, the Federation of Abkhazian Cultural Associations, the Federation of Caucasian Associations and members of the diaspora, all directed towards overcoming the country's isolation.
The ministry noted that resolving the matter lies in the restoration of basic human rights, and that recognition of Abkhazia's national documents forms part of the broader task of widening international recognition of Abkhazia's independence and establishing full economic, humanitarian and cultural ties.
It added that the country's leadership and diplomatic corps continue an active dialogue with representatives of various states and social forces, with the aim of steadily expanding international contacts and developing direct links with other countries.
Full statement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Abkhazia
For the leadership of the Republic of Abkhazia and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, promoting international recognition of Abkhazia as an independent state, together with recognition of the documents issued by its state bodies, remains a foreign policy priority.
In line with the foreign policy course set by the President of the Republic of Abkhazia, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs works consistently and on an ongoing basis to expand Abkhazia's international contacts, strengthen its foreign policy standing and overcome the international isolation created by Georgia's policy. The Russian Federation provides Abkhazia with essential support in advancing its foreign policy interests.
For many years, the Abkhazian side has raised the question of recognition of Abkhazian passports and other documents issued by Abkhazia's state authorities at the Geneva International Discussions on Security and Stability in the Transcaucasus.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Abkhazia is following closely the development of the situation surrounding the initiative by a group of deputies in the Turkish parliament, who have proposed the recognition of Abkhazian passports and the opening of sea communication with Abkhazia. We regard the appearance of such discussions as an objective process, driven not by short-term political calculation but by an awareness of the genuine needs of people living in difficult conditions. It is the result of persistent and systematic efforts to implement a set of measures aimed at ending the isolation of the Republic of Abkhazia, undertaken by our country's leadership, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, representatives of civil society, the Plenipotentiary Mission of the Republic of Abkhazia in Turkey, the Federation of Abkhazian Cultural Associations in Turkey, the Federation of Caucasian Associations, and many committed members of the Abkhazian diaspora around the world. We believe that fair decisions in this case suggest themselves: they lie in the restoration of basic human rights. For us, recognition of our state's documents forms part of a task of the utmost importance, that of achieving wider international recognition of the independence of the Republic of Abkhazia and establishing full economic, humanitarian and cultural ties with other states. We therefore regard any steps that contribute to this goal in an entirely positive light.
The leadership of the Republic of Abkhazia and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs continue this work without interruption. An active and constant dialogue is under way today with representatives of various states and social forces in different regions of the world, steadily widening Abkhazia's international contacts and advancing its position on questions of international recognition and the development of direct links with other countries.