Syrian President Assad meets with de-facto Abkhaz president, promises ‘support for sovereignty’

Syrian President Bashar Assad met with the de-facto president of Georgia’s Russia-occupied region of Abkhazia Aslan Bzhania, at which the former said ‘Syria has supported and will always support the Abkhaz people and their sovereignty.’

During the meeting Bashar Assad said that the visit of the leader of Abkhazia is ‘of great importance for the development of interstate relations which will stimulate cooperation between Abkhazia and Syria in various fields.’

In May 2018 Syria officially recognised the independence of Georgia’s Russia-occupied Abkhazia and Tskhinvali/South Ossetia regions.

Together with Russia, Nicaragua, Nauru and Venezuela, Syria is among five countries that recognise the independence of Abkhazia and South Ossetia regions.

The recognition of the Georgian regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia as independent countries was raised and condemned at the UN Security Council meeting at the UN General Assembly later in May 2018.

Abkhazia opened an embassy in Damascus, Syria in October 2020. 

The Georgian Foreign Ministry condemned the move and stated that fundamental norms and principles of international law had been grossly violated.