Baku denounces so-called ‘elections’ in breakaway Abkhazia
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The Foreign Ministry of Azerbaijan has issued a statement condemning the so-called parliamentary elections that took place on Sunday in Georgia’s Russian-occupied region of Abkhazia.
"The Republic of Azerbaijan does not recognise the so-called independence of Abkhazia and consequently, the so-called parliamentary elections held in Abkhazia on March 12, 2017 and its results”, the statement read.
It added that the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry believes that it is necessary to continue negotiations for the peaceful resolution of the Abkhazia issue in compliance with the principles of international law.
Abkhazia is a historic part of Georgia, which is only recognised as an independent state by four countries worldwide.
Russia and Nicaragua recognised Abkhazia’s independence in 2008 in the wake of the Russia-Georgia war. In 2009 Venezuela, and Nauru and in 2011 Tuvalu and Vanuatu took the same step but after a couple of years Tuvalu and Vanuatu cancelled their view and said the region is part of Georgia.
So-called parliamentary elections are being held in the occupied Abkhazia region of Georgia today.
Georgia’s Russian-occupied region of Abkhazia is preparing to hold the "parliamentary elections” tomorrow – an event that Tbilisi and international community call non-constitutional and illegitimate.
The individual accused of murdering Giga Otkhozoria last year near the Administrative Boundary Line (ABL) separating Georgia and its breakaway region of Abkhazia has been given two additional years of detention, which now makes for 14-years of imprisonment in total.
The Organisation for Security and Co-Operation in Europe (OSCE) Chairmanship expressed concern over the closure of two crossing-points between Georgia and occupied Abkhazia today.
"NATO does not recognise the election held on March 12 in the Georgian region of Abkhazia”, NATO Secretary General’s Special Representative for the Caucasus and Central Asia James Appathurai said in a statement on the so-called elections in Abkhazia today.
The EU, Poland and Estonia do not recognise the so-called 'parliamentary elections' held on March 12 by Russia-backed de-facto leadership controlling Georgia's Abkhazia region.
Georgian President Giorgi Margvelashvili addressed the participants of the 5th Global Baku Forum in Azerbaijan’s capital of Baku today.
Georgia and Azerbaijan are exploring opportunities of deepening defence cooperation and sharing military experience. Azerbaijani Defence Minister Zakir Hasanov is paying an official visit to Tbilisi today.