Foreign relations of Abkhazia

The Republic of Abkhazia is a self-proclaimed independent state a disputed region which is recognized by Russia, Nicaragua, Venezuela, Nauru, Nagorno-Karabakh, South Ossetia, and Transnistria. (The first four of these are members of the United Nations, fully recognised as sovereign states.) Abkhazia declared independence from Georgia in 1999,^[1] but did not receive recognition from any UN member states until after the 2008 South Ossetia war. One of Abkhazia's main foreign policy goals is searching for further international recognition.^[2]

Diplomatic relations

Foreign relations of Abkhazia

  diplomatic relations and recognition

  diplomatic recognition only

State	Date of diplomatic recognition	Diplomatic relations established	Notes
Nagorno-Karabakh	17 November 2006		On November 17, 2006, Abkhazia and Nagorno-Karabakh recognized each other's independence.
Nauru	15 December 2009	15 December 2009	On December 15, 2009, Nauru became the fourth UN member state to recognize Abkhazia.
Nicaragua	5 September 2008	10 September 2009	see Abkhazia–Nicaragua relations On September 5, 2008, Nicaragua became the second UN member state to recognize Abkhazia.
Russia	26 August 2008	9 September 2008	see Abkhazia–Russia relations On August 26, 2008, Russia became the first UN member state to recognize Abkhazia.
South Ossetia	[note 1]	[note 1]	see Abkhazia–South Ossetia relations Abkhazia and South Ossetia officially recognised each other's independence.
Transnistria	[note 1]	[note 1]	see Abkhazia–Transnistria relations Abkhazia and Transnistria officially recognised each other's independence.
Venezuela	10 September 2009	12 July 2010	see Abkhazia–Venezuela relations On September 10, 2009, Venezuela became the third UN member state to recognize Abkhazia.

On 9 March 2012 an agreement to allow visa free travel was signed between Tuvalu and Abhazia.^[3]

Visa Problems

Several states which do not recognise Abkhazia routinely refuse visa applications of Abkhazians, even though the application is made in Moscow on the basis of the person's dual Russian citizenship.

• In October 2006 the American embassy denied a visa to Minister for Foreign Affairs of Abkhazia Sergei Shamba, who was to attend a UN Security Council discussion in New York on the United Nations Observer Mission in Georgia.^[4]
• In February 2009 the Indian embassy denied visas to two Abkhazian women employed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs who had been invited by the Jawaharlal Nehru University to attend an international conference. In response, Foreign Minister Shamba sent letters to Indian External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee and to the Ambassador of India to Russia, Prabhat Prakash Shukla. The letters protested the very unfriendly attitude towards Abkhazia, pointed out that the applicants’ Russian citizenship had not been taken into account and warned that Abkhazia might respond in kind, denying visas to any future Indian visitors.^[5]
• On 17 March the Spanish embassy in Moscow refused visas for the members of the Abkhazian Futsal team, which was to take part in the first Copa de les Nacions de Futsal in Catalonia.^[6]
• On 13 May 2009, the German embassy in Russia initially denied a visa for a sick Abkhazian 16-year-old boy who was to undergo a complicated operation in a Munich clinic. Foreign Minister of Abkhazia Sergei Shamba said "such actions are out of line with universal humanitarian principles and are a direct violation of Abkhazian residents' rights."^[7] However, the next day the German embassy in Moscow issued the visa, stating that the delay was due to the need to coordinate with their consulate in Tbilisi, which normally handles visas.^[8]

Relations with other self-declared independent states

The Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic, and the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus^[9] welcomed Russian recognition of Abkhazia. The militant Palestinian organization Hamas also welcomed the recognition of both Abkhazia and South Ossetia.^[10][11][12]

Diplomatic missions

Offices in Abkhazia

Abkhazian missions

Membership in international organizations

Abkhazia belongs to the Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organization (UNPO) and Community for Democracy and Human Rights.

See also

• Abkhazia–Turkey relations
• International recognition of Abkhazia and South Ossetia

Notes

1. It is unclear whether there is a date on which Abkhazia, South Ossetia and Transnistria officially recognised each other or whether they have always done so, and when they established diplomatic relations. Abkhazia and Transnistria signed a Treaty on Friendship and Cooperation on 22 January 1993, South Ossetia and Transnistria a Treaty on Friendship and Cooperation on 12 October 1994 and Abkhazia and South Ossetia a Treaty on Friendship and Cooperation on 19 September 2005.

References

1. "Regions and territories: Abkhazia". BBC. 2009-05-13. Retrieved 2009-09-11.
2. "Abkhazia: Broad International Recognition Priority". 23 January 2013. Retrieved 1 April 2014.
3. "Tiny Tuvalu's Officials In Abkhazia For Visa-Free Deal, Monitoring". Radio Free Europe Radio Liberty. 9 March 2012. Retrieved 3 April 2012.
4. "US embassy in Moscow refused visa to head of Abkhazia MFA". Caucasian Knot. 2006-10-14. Retrieved 2009-05-17.
5. Kuchuberia, Anjela (2009-02-26). Посольство Индии в Москве отказало в визах сотрудницам МИД Абхазии. Caucasian Knot (in Russian). Retrieved 2009-05-17.
6. Kuchuberia, Angela (2009-04-04). "Abkhazian athletes rejected visas by Spanish embassy in Moscow". Caucasian Knot. Retrieved 2009-05-17.
7. "German embassy in Russia denies ill Abkhazian teen visa - ministry". RIA Novosti. 2009-05-13. Retrieved 2009-05-17.
8. "Germany issues visa to seriously ill Abkhazian teenager". RIA Novosti. 2009-05-15. Retrieved 2009-05-17.
9. "Talat voices respect for will of peoples of S. Ossetia and Abkhazia". Today's Zaman. 2008-08-28. Retrieved 2008-08-28.
10. ХАМАС приветствует признание независимости Абхазии и Южной Осетии (in Russian). Gazeta.ru. 2008-08-26. Retrieved 2008-08-26.
11. "Only Palestine's Hamas Backs Kremlin's Recognition of Abkhazia, South Ossetia". Georgian Daily. 2008-08-27. Retrieved 2008-08-27.
12. Coughlin, Con; Blomfield, Adrian (2008-08-27). "Georgia: Europe unites to condemn Kremlin". London: Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 2008-08-27.

External links

• The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Abkhazia web site