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Middle East and North Africa

Abkhazia supports Russia’s initiatives for peace in Middle East — foreign ministry

"The Republic of Abkhazia supports Russia’s foreign policy, including the peace initiatives designed to reduce tensions and establish peace in the Middle East," the statement says

© Artur Lebedev/ITAR-TASS archive

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Moscow set to keep working towards democratic development of Abkhazia, South Ossetia

SUKHUM, January 13 /TASS/. Abkhazia supports Russia’s initiatives for establishing peace in the Middle East, the foreign ministry of the Republic of Abkhazia said on Wednesday.

"The Republic of Abkhazia supports Russia’s foreign policy, including the peace initiatives designed to reduce tensions and establish peace in the Middle East," the Abkhazian Foreign Ministry said in a statement published on the ministry’s website.

On January 11, the statement said, Artur Mikvabiya, the head of the Abkhazian government, instructed separate agencies and departments to start working out temporary restrictions on a number of goods of Turkish origin. "This instruction complies with article 4 of the Treaty on Allied Relations and Strategic Partnership which Abkhazia and Russia signed on November 24, 2014 that provides for coordination of foreign policy," the Abkhazian Foreign Ministry said in its statement.

"The Republic of Abkahzia is taking these steps in accordance with the existing bilateral Russian-Abkhazian agreements and reciprocal commitments. Russia is Abkhazia’s major strategic partner, which gives all-round assistance and support to our republic," the Foreign Ministry went on to say.

Abkhazia has pledged to continue developing all-round ties with the numerous Abkhazian community in Turkey. Abkhazia considers ethnic Abkhazians residing in Turkey to be an integral part of the Abkhazian people. "We consider them to be the citizens of the Republic of Abkhazia. Consequently, the measures mentioned above cannot concern our cooperation," the statement said.

Turkey has the biggest Abkhazian community. According to various estimates, the number of Abkhazians in Turkey ranges from 500,000 to half a million people.

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Middle East and North Africa Turkey Abkhazia

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