Georgian MFA, Chinese ambassador discuss alleged meeting between Chinese, de facto Abkhaz diplomats

The Georgian Ministry of Foreign Affairs has spoken to Chinese Ambassador to Georgia Li Yang regarding an alleged meeting between de facto Abkhaz Ambassador Bagrat Khutuba and Chinese Ambassador to Syria Feng Biao.

Abkhazia is a Russian-occupied region of Georgia which is only recognised by Venezuela, Nicaragua, Nauru, and Syria as an independent state.

Ambassador Yang described the alleged meeting as 'misunderstanding,' and asserted that China respects Georgia's sovereignty and territorial integrity.

The sides agreed that the Chinese Foreign Ministry will instruct its diplomats to abstain from such meetings in the future.

Georgian Ambassador to China Archil Kalandia met with the Head of the Europe and Central Asia Department of the Chinese Foreign Ministry on December 7, and the Chinese official reaffirmed China’s support for Georgia’s territorial integrity.