Tbilisi Confirms Abkhaz Officials’ Visit to Belgium
By Tea Mariamidze
Tuesday, December 19
(TBILISI)--Georgia’s Foreign Minister Mikheil Janelidze, confirmed that a delegation from Georgia’s occupied Abkhazia region paid an informal visit to Brussels, as reported by the Abkhazian media.
Janelidze explained that the recent visits by the Russian-backed rebel authorities to Europe are personal visits and do not indicate a change in the EU’s policy towards Georgia’s breakaway regions.
Georgia's territorial integrity and sovereignty continues to be recognized by the international community, including strong support from the EU, said Janelidze
“The Government of Georgia continues to actively work on this issue with all our partner countries to engage with the international community to find a peaceful resolution to the conflict and restore the territorial integrity of Georgia,” Janelidze stated.
On December 14, the state-run Abkhaz news outlet, Apsnypress, reported that a delegation of the secessionist Chamber of Commerce, headed by Gennady Gaguliya, was on a working visit to Brussels to discuss the history, culture and tourism potential in Abkhazia.
“The presentation was organized to expand trade and economic ties between the business community of Abkhazia and Belgium,” the Abkhaz Chamber of Commerce stated.
The so called CCI of Abkhazia reports that the purpose of the visit was to raise awareness about the tourist potential of Abkhazia, its resort and tourist sites, attractions and sightseeing routes.
Only four countries in the world recognize Abkhazia as an independent state, including Russia, Nicaragua, Venezuela and Nauru.
