SUKHUM, September 26 (Itar-Tass) —— Abkhazia may always rely on comprehensive support from Russia, Speaker of Russia’s Federation council Valentina Matviyenko said on Monday. She is head of the Russian delegation to the inauguration ceremony of president elect, Alexander Ankvab.

“I am delighted that at the order of Russia’s President Dmitry Medvedev I am representing our country at this ceremony,” she said.

Matviyenko greeted the new head of Abkhazia with “the convincing victory at the election.” She stressed that the voting “fully complied with international norms and regulations.”

“International observers evaluated highly the presidential election in Abkhazia and confirmed that they answer fully international standards,” she added.

Matviyenko said that in August of 2008 Russia “made a responsible and historic decision, which guaranteed to Abkhazia a right for self-determination and free development.”

“It opened a new stage in history of Abkhazia,” she stressed. “it has resulted in creative work on improvement of democratic institutions of power, social and economic development, strengthening of positions on the international arena.”

“I would like to assure you that Abkhazia may rely in future on comprehensive support from Russia,” Matviyenko said.

Abkhazia’s development over several past years has been demonstrating “good reasons for the republic’s integration in international cooperation.”

“Russia will continue to support Abkhazia in this direction,” she assured the audience, adding that Moscow is taking the Russia-Abkhazia relations as “an important factor of stability in the Caucasus region.”

Matviyenko pointed to the “qualitatively new contents” of the Russia-Abkhazia cooperation “after its transfer to the intergovernmental level.”

“The basis of our cooperation is bilateral profit and promotion of interests of the two countries’ people,” she said. “Security aspects take special positions in this cooperation.”

“This is important in the remaining revanchist moods which Georgia’s current leaders have,” she continued. “This is why we pay much attention to keeping the Russian military base in the territory of Abkhazia, where its main objective is to protect sovereignty and security of our countries.”

Matviyenko also pointed at dynamic development of relations in the social and economic spheres, including inter-regional cooperation.

“Russia’s several regions have cooperation agreements with the republic,” she continued. “This is a very promising direction, especially minding the potential which is not used yet.”

Commenting on cooperation between the parliaments, she said it necessary “to fill it with detailed contents for solving the tasks, which our nations are facing.”

“The Russia-Abkhazia cooperation is based on traditions of friendship and fraternity, and we will develop these traditions in the name of wellbeing of our peoples,” she said.

Matviyenko added that her visit to Abkhazia became her first foreign trip in the position of the Federation Council’s speaker. She confessed that she was especially happy to make her first official visit in the new position exactly to hospitable Abkhazia.

“I would like to tell you that in me you may always see Abkhazia’s lobbyist in Russia,” she said.