Sukhumi doubts Vanuatu recognized Abkhazia and S. Ossetia as parts of Georgia
SUKHUMI. July 15 (Interfax) - The Foreign Ministry of Abkhazia believes that Vanuatu that established diplomatic relations with Georgia last week was opposed to the recognition of Abkhazia and South Ossetia as parts of Georgia, Foreign Minister Vyacheslav Chirikba said to Interfax on Sunday.
"Early reports say that when the agreement on the establishment of diplomatic relations with Georgia was signed, the government of Vanuatu was against the clause on the recognition of Abkhazia and South Ossetia as parts of Georgia and it should be clarified whether this provision was included in the final version of the agreement," Chirikba said.
"As Vanuatu has not officially revoked its decision to recognize the independence of Abkhazia or notified the government of Abkhazia about revoking this recognition, we permit the assumption that the government of the insular state wants diplomatic relations with both Abkhazia and Georgia," the minister added.
"The Foreign Ministry of Abkhazia will make due comments after finalizing all the details," he said.
On July 12 in New York, ambassador of Vanuatu to the United Nations Donald Kalpokas and Georgian charge d'affairs to the United Nations Vakhtang Makharoblishvili signed an agreement on the establishment of diplomatic relations between their countries.
A statement of the Georgian Foreign Ministry says Vanuatu recognizes Abkhazia and South Ossetia as inseparable parts of Georgia.
"This fact indicates that Vanuatu made its final decision and drew a line on the issue of recognition of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Georgia following the principles of international law," the ministry statement says.
The ministry hopes that Vanuatu's decision will serve as an example for those countries that "recognized the occupied regions of Georgia" in violation of fundamental legal principles.
