Abkhazian delegation visits L America to develop relations with its countries

CARACAS (Itar-Tass) -- Abkhazia’s delegation is visiting Latin America to further develop political and economic relations with its countries, acting Foreign Minister Maxim Gvindzhiya told Itar-Tass on Saturday.

The agenda of the Abkhazian delegation’s working visit to the region includes the development of economic relations with Latin American countries, he said.

“We are looking for ways to fill our relations not only with political statements, but also with specific economic projects,” the acting foreign minister said.

During the tour of Latin America, the Abkhazian delegation will visit Venezuela, Argentina, Ecuador, and Bolivia.

“In addition to making preparations in Caracas for Abkhazian President Sergei Bagapsh’s visit to Latin America, Venezuela is a very big market for our country,” the diplomat said.

“The priority goals of our trip to Venezuela are to prepare Abkhazian President Sergei Bagapsh’s visit to Latin American countries and complete the process of establishing diplomatic relations with Venezuela,” Gvindzhiya said.

He said Abkhazia planned to open embassies in Venezuela and Nicaragua that have recognised its independence.

“We are studying questions related to the establishment of firm economic ties between Abkhazia and Venezuela,” the acting minister said.

“The ground has been prepared in Argentina for meetings at the Foreign Ministry, with governors, businesspeople, and mass media, and at the universities of this South American country,” Gvindzhiya said.

In Ecuador “we can see the process initiated by the president of this country, Rafael Correa who said that he was ready to consider the question of recognising Abkhazia after an official request had been received”, the official said.

“Such a request was handed over to him officially in December of last year, and e are now waiting for the reply,” Gvindzhiya said.

“Ecuador is seriously studying the question of Abkhazia recognition from the point of view of international law, and our delegation is ready to help with that,” he said.

Abkhazia insists that the question of its recognition “be considered not only in terms of the right to self-determination, but primarily in terms of view of international law,” the acting foreign minister said.

“In both cases Abkhazia has indisputable arguments,” he added.

The purpose of the visit to Bolivia is to study the possibility of establishing diplomatic relations with this country, Gvindzhiya said.