Google Voice lists Abkhazia as independent state

A telecommunication service offered by Google has named Abkhazia - one of Georgia’s breakaway regions - on the list of countries its users can contact.

Google Voice enabled Gmail and Google+ users to make video calls anywhere in the world.

Abkhazia was named first on the alphabetical list where it was possible for users to make international calls. The price for calling occupied Abkhazia was 14 cents per minute.

Georgia's Foreign Ministry said they were already informed about the fact and were trying to find out more details. They believed it was misunderstanding that would be corrected soon.

Last year Google Voice listed Abkhazia as one of the regions of Russia.

Abkhazia, which is one of Georgia’s occupied regions, calls itself an independent state. Its status has been recognized by four countries: Russia, Nicaragua, Venezuela and Nauru.

The Georgian Government and the majority of global Governments consider Abkhazia a part of Georgian territory although Georgia was not in control of it.

Under Georgia's official legislation it is an autonomous republic, called the Autonomous Republic of Abkhazia, whose government sits in exile in Tbilisi.