The KAFFED, the largest and most influential North Caucasian umbrella organization with 60 active Caucasian associations in Turkey, have issued the following statements to congratulate the prime ministers of Abkhazia and Vanuatu on the occasion of Vanuatu’s diplomatic recognition of the Republic of Abkhazia.

SUKHUM -- The trip of President of Abkhazia in Turkey, where many thousands of Abkhaz diaspora live, is important and can affect a positive solution of a number of issues of repatriation, said in an interview with the Apsnypress correspondent the political scientist and expert on the Caucasian issues Viacheslav Chirikba.

ANKARA -- President Sergey Bagapsh has started a four-day visit to Turkey to meet with the Abkhazian diaspora and to discuss economic relations. At the residence where the Abkhazian delegation are staying there has  taken place the first meeting between the President and representatives of the diaspora. The latter warmly welcomed the head of the Abkhazian state.

Hasan Kanbolat, Today's Zaman

Abkhaz President Sergei Bagapsh is expected to visit Turkey at the invitation of the Federation of Abkhaz Associations (ABHAZFED) and the Federation of Caucasian Associations (KAFFED).

Tabula.ge -- Although Georgia continues to officially maintain an embargo on the breakaway republic of Abkhazia, experts and local observers now believe that the Georgian Coast Guard may have backed off enforcing the embargo and is no longer seizing Turkish ships bound for Abkhazian ports.

SUKHUM -- President Sergey Bagapsh received a delegation of Abkhaz diaspora from Turkey that has arrived to participate in celebration of Sukhum liberation and unveiling of a monument to Muhajirs.

News.am -- Russia hopes Turkey will be the first pro-western state to recognize Abkhazia, and serious relevant work is under way, Alexander Rar, European expert for energy and CIS, stated in his interview with 1news.az, speaking of Turkish Premier Recep Erdogan’s visit to Moscow.

Hasan Kanbolat, Director of ORSAM

Sergei Bagapsh won again in the Dec. 12 presidential elections held in Abkhazia, which has declared a one-sided (de facto) independence from Georgia. While Bagapsh was the president of a state considered “de facto” independent, he is now the president of a state considered “de jure” since the August 2008 war. 

Hasan Kanbolat, Today's Zaman 

During Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu's visit to Tbilisi on Sept. 8-9, Foreign Ministry Deputy Undersecretary Ünal Çeviköz drove to the Abkhaz capital of Sukhum, where he met with Abkhaz officials.