MOSCOW, August 1./ITAR-TASS/. After the presidential elections in Abkhazia planned for August 24, the republic's priority may be discussion of a new interstate treaty with Russia, Deputy Foreign Minister Irakly Khintba said in an interview to the Izvestia newspaper.

Early presidential elections are called in Abkhazia in connection with the opposition-demanded resignation of President Alexander Ankvab, who has headed the county since 2011.

A treaty would specify principles and a mechanism of a new format of relations between the republic and Russia, Khintba said. Among the main points are strengthening of mutual coordination in security and defense, modernization and imrpovement of life in Abkhazia and creation of conditions for Abkhazia to join the customs union of Russia, Belarus and Kazkahstan.

There is a need to gather important aspects of cooperation set down in various agreements numbering 84 in one document, he said.

It relates also to cooperation in the law-enforcement and customs areas. For modernization and economic development, road maps shoud be worked out to be a basis to provide assitance to Abkhazia in its reforms, the minsiter added.

It must be joint work with Abkhazia's active participation, he said.

Abkhazia's stategic situation requires strengthening cooperation with Russia in security to prevent possible risks. "We assess possible risks from the process of Euro-Atlantic integration of Georgia. Tbilisi, which has signed an association membership agreement with the EU, is seeking to join NATO, while developments in Ukraine may push the West to take revenge on Russia in other regions," the republic's deputy foreign minister said.