Georgia condemns Syrian MPs’ visit to occupied Abkhazia

Georgia has strongly condemned the recent visit of Syrian lawmakers to the country’s western occupied Abkhazia region.

Georgia’s Foreign Ministry assessed the "visit” as the continuation of provocations by Russia.

Russia is doing its utmost to legitimize an attempt of forcible and illegal change of borders of a sovereign country [of Georgia] and several waves of ethnic cleansing,” the Ministry stated.

The Foreign Ministry stated that Georgia was in active communication with foreign partners to peacefully resist Russia’s illegal activities and creeping occupation in Georgia, as well as Russia’s strive to declare Georgian regions as independent republics.

As Abkhazian media reports, enhancing of "bilateral relations” was the key topic of the meeting with the Syrian lawmakers.

Russia recognized the historic Georgian regions of Abkhazia and Tskhinvali (South Ossetia) as independent republics in the wake of the Russia-Georgia 2008 war.

Only Russia, Nicaragua, Venezuela, and Nauru recognize the regions as independent republics.

The rest of the  international community stresses the regions are integral parts of Georgia.