Time in Tbilisi: May 2, 2024 10:03
Russia’s President Vladimir Putin and the leader of Georgia’s breakaway Abkhazia region Raul Khajimba today signed a new treaty between Moscow and Sokhumi on ‘Alliance and Strategic Partnership’ in Russia’s Black Sea resort town Sochi.
Khajimba believed Abkhazia "as a country experiencing hard times for a long period” entered a new phase of relations with Russia by signing this document despite the document being condemned by Georgia and the international community.
"The new treaty is another step in strengthening relations with Russia. We had an opportunity in the long-term perspective to ensure safety. Thus we are committed to ensuring the security of our ally- Russia. This is an equal relationship between two sovereign states,” Khajimba said.
"It involves security, as well as the issues related to social-economic development of Abkhazia. We are confident on these relations and we have no doubt that the assistance rendered to us will be really useful for our state,” Khajimba said.
The treaty will come into force from January 1, 2015. The agreement is valid for ten years but there is a possibility of extending the agreement for subsequent five-year periods.
Meanwhile, today it was announced Russia would allocated 5 billion RUB ($111 million USD) for the full implementation of the ‘Alliance and Strategic Partnership’ in 2015.
Earlier today before the talks between Putin and Khajimba started, Russia’s President announced Moscow would "double” its assistance to Abkhazia.
"Relations between Russia and Abkhazia are developing very successfully. We have a good normative legal base,” Putin said.
The ‘Alliance and Strategic Partnership’ treaty outlined creating a "common defence and security space”, "implementing a coordinated foreign policy” and "establishing common social and economic area".
Foreign Policy
Implementing a coordinated foreign policy included supporting Abkhazia to work on recognition policy and expanding the list of countries that recognized Abkhazia’s independence.
In addition, the agreement will create the necessary conditions Abkhazia to become a member of international organisations and associations.
Defence and Security
A "common defence and security space” envisaged creating a "combined group of forces” for the purpose of "repelling aggression”.
It also envisaged "joint measures” to protect the Abkhaz borders. According to the final document, both sides have committed to take action aimed at modernising the Abkhaz armed forces within three years once the treaty comes into play.
Social and Economic Cooperation
Russia has pledged to increase the state pensions of those who lived in Abkhazia to the same amount offered in Russia in the three years following the implementation of the deal.
The treaty also noted to make Russian citizens who lived in Abkhazia eligible for Russia’s federal compulsory health insurance system.
This would allow these people to have access to Russian-funded healthcare services in Russia. According to the final draft, this should be done within one year.
Russia also pledged to "undertake additional measures” to ease procedures required for obtaining Russian citizenship for Abkhaz citizens.
Russia’s President Vladimir Putin and de-facto president of Georgia’s breakaway region Abkhazia are scheduled to meet in Russia’s Black Sea resort town Sochi today and sign an alliance treaty despite the document being condemned by Georgia and the international community.
Georgia’s Foreign Ministry believes the revised draft treaty on ‘Alliance and Integration’ between Russia and Georgia’s breakaway region Abkhazia is a step forward to the annexation of Georgia’s territories.
De-facto Cabinet Ministers of Georgia's breakaway Abkhazia region have approved a bilateral treaty between Moscow and Sokhumi that outlined creating joint Russian and Abkhazian military forces.
The European Union (EU) believes the proposed 'Alliance and Integration' draft treaty between Russia and Georgia's breakaway region, the self-proclaimed Republic of Abkhazia, undermines the security and stability of the region.
NATO’s top regional representative said there was "strong concern” in the Alliance about the Kremlin-proposed ‘Alliance and Integration’ treaty Russia aimed to make with Georgia’s breakaway region Abkhazia.
A Kremlin proposed new treaty on ‘Alliance and Integration’ with Georgia’s breakaway region Abkhazia and Russia will be signed by the end of this year, Abkhazia’s de-facto leader Raul Khajimba announced.
Georgia will ask the United Nations (UN) to convene a Security Council meeting to discuss the 'Treaty on Alliance and Strategic Partnership' signed today between Russia and Georgia’s breakaway region Abkhazia.
NATO is calling on Russia to reverse its recognition of two Georgian lands - Abkhazia and Tskhinvali region - as independent states and to withdraw its forces from Georgia.
Russia’s signature of a so-called treaty on ‘Alliance and Strategic Partnership’ with Georgia's breakaway region Abkhazia is detrimental to ongoing efforts to stabilise the security situation in the region, the European Union (EU) says.
The United States (US) says it will not recognise the legitimacy of any treaty between Georgia’s breakaway Abkhazia region and the Russian Federation.
The new agreement between Russia and breakaway Abkhazia reflects Russia's desire to annex part of Georgia, says Estonian Foreign Minister Keit Pentus-Rosimannus.
The ‘Alliance and Strategic Partnership’ treaty signed between Russia and Georgia’s breakaway region Abkhazia is a step towards annexation of Georgia, President Giorgi Margvelashvili announced today.
The ‘Alliance and Strategic Partnership' treaty signed between Russia and Georgia’s breakaway region Abkhazia is a challenge for Georgia and for European and Euro-Atlantic security, believes Georgia’s State Minister of European and Euro-Atlantic Integration.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Lithuania has slammed the new alliance between Russia and Georgia’s breakaway Abkhazia region and expressed its firm support to the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Georgia within its internationally recognised borders.
Georgia’s close neighbour Ukraine is condemning the ‘Alliance and Strategic Partnership’ treaty signed this week between Russia and Georgia’s breakaway region Abkhazia.
NATO is calling on Russia to revoke its "Alliance and Strategic Partnership” treaty with Abkhazia, an occupied region of Georgia.
A Russian alliance treaty between Moscow and Georgia’s breakaway region Abkhazia is an obstacle to peacefully resolving the conflict, says German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s spokesman.
Georgia’s Permanent Representative to the Council of Europe Konstantine Korkelia is condemning Russia’s actions of aligning itself closer with Georgia’s breakaway Abkhazia region, and his comments have been applauded by all but one Council of Europe member states.
Georgia’s Foreign Ministry is again publically condemning the signing of the so-called ‘treaty’ between Moscow and the Sokhumi occupation regime and called it "de-facto annexation” of its territory.
Forging and strengthening international contacts is the best force against the so-called ‘Alliance and Strategic Partnership’ treaty signed between Russia and Georgia’s breakaway region Abkhazia, says the Georgian Prime Minister’s special representative for relations with Russia Zurab Abashidze.
The condemned Russia-Abkhazia deal will take the limelight at the upcoming OSCE Ministerial Council and the Geneva International Discussions, Georgia’s Foreign Ministry said.
A Russian high official believes the process to normalise relations between Georgia and Russia is continuing as normal, despite Georgia and much of the international community condemning Russia’s deal with Georgia’s breakaway Abkhazia region.
The Congress of the Council of Europe has condemned the so-called ‘Alliance and Strategic Partnership’ treaty between Russia and Georgia’s breakaway Abkhazia region.
The United States (US) House of Representatives has unanimously approved a document which strongly condemns Moscow's actions against its neighbours Georgia, Ukraine and Moldova.
Georgia’s Foreign Minister Tamar Beruchashvili met with Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu separately in Ankara on Tuesday.
De-facto leader of Georgia’s occupied Tskhinvali’s (South Ossetia) region, Leonid Tibilov, believes there is a possibility the breakaway region’s accession into Russia will be considered in the proposed integration treaty between Moscow and Tskhinvali.
Russia’s Foreign Ministry believes the ‘Alliance and Strategic Partnership’ treaty between Russia and Georgia’s breakaway Abkhazia region was in response to Georgia’s "unrestrained NATO aspirations”.
Russian President Vladimir Putin said he would be happy to host a Georgian Government delegation if they visited his nation.
The UN Security Council wrap up session condemned Russia-Abkhazia treaty which has been also considered in Tbilisi as a step towards the annexation of Georgia’s breakaway region Abkhazia backed by Moscow.
Georgia’s President Giorgi Margvelashvili has welcomed the support of those countries expressed towards Georgia at the United Nations (UN) Security Council’s wrap up session on December 22.
Georgia will do everything it can to positively resolve the visa liberalisation issue, said Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili at today's meeting with the European Union's (EU) High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini.
Lawmakers from the Russia's State Duma (the legislative body of the Russian Federation) have ratified a so-called treaty on ‘Alliance and Strategic Partnership' with Georgia's breakaway Abkhazia region today.
Georgia's Foreign Ministry is calling on the international community to give appropriate legal and political assessment of the ratification of a so-called alliance treaty between Russia and Georgia's breakaway Abkhazia region.
De facto leaders of Georgia’s breakaway Tskhinvali region (South Ossetia) have sent a draft treaty on alliance and integration between Moscow and Tskhinvali to Russia.
Georgia's Prime Minister believes if the international community had paid more attention to the Russia-Georgia conflict in 2008 then the Ukrainian crisis could have been avoided.
A Georgian delegation led by First Deputy Foreign Minister David Dondua has departed for Switzerland where the 31st round of the Geneva International Discussions convene on March 17 and 18.
The de facto leaders of Georgia’s breakaway Tskhinvali (South Ossetia) region and the Russian Federation will sign a so-called "Treaty on Alliance and Integration” today. The global community is assessing this as "yet another step that goes against ongoing efforts to strengthen security and stability in the region”.
Russia’s President Vladimir Putin and de facto leader of Georgia’s breakaway Tskhinvali region (South Ossetia) Leonid Tibilov signed a so-called "Treaty on Alliance and Integration” in Moscow today.
The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) is condemning the integration deal between occupied Tskhinvali and Moscow, and believes the deal promotes "creeping annexation” of Georgian territory.
The Council of Europe (CoE) has called on Russia to facilitate and grant unrestricted access to the CoE bodies to the areas affected by the conflict in Georgia, in a document adopted yesterday.
Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili has held a fruitful meeting with a high official from the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) today in Tbilisi.
Russia must take responsibility for its damaging actions in Georgia and Ukraine, believes Georgian Foreign Minister Tamar Beruachashvili.
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