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Attempts at changing Abkhazia’s political status futile — Foreign Ministry

Inal Ardzinba stressed that "once again the Ukrainian president demonstrates a poor knowledge of history and indulges in outright provocations"

SUKHUM, October 25. /TASS/. Abkhazia’s Foreign Minister Inal Ardzinba called any attempts to draw the republic into arrangements that involve changing its political status futile, the Media Center of Abkhazia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in response to statements by Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky, who suggested expanding the framework of the Crimean Platform to Abkhazia and Transnistria.

Zelensky on Tuesday said he considered it necessary to broaden the format of the Crimean Platform forum (created by Kiev in an attempt to prop up Ukraine’s territorial claims to Russia’s Crimea) to other territories such as Abkhazia, Transnistria, and Russia's southern Kuril Islands.

"Any attempts to artificially draw the Republic of Abkhazia into any formats involving a change to the political status of our republic are absolutely futile. The Republic of Abkhazia is determined to follow the path of strengthening and developing its own statehood, regardless of any provocations from outside," Ardzinba is quoted as saying.

He stressed that "once again the Ukrainian president demonstrates a poor knowledge of history and indulges in outright provocations."

Ardzinba recalled once again that the citizens of Abkhazia had made their historic choice and with arms in hand defended their right to build an independent state.

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