SUKHUM, September 29. /TASS/. The Republic of Abkhazia and the island state of Nauru located in the Pacific Ocean have signed the first intergovernmental Treaty of Amity and Cooperation. The document was signed by Abkhazia’s Prime Minister Beslan Bartsits and Nauru’s Parliament Speaker Cyril Buraman, a TASS correspondent reported.

"Abkhazia and Nauru should cooperate in order to make the world community hear their voice. We very much appreciate our cooperation with Abkhazia," Buraman stated after the signing ceremony. He noted that the signing of this treaty was specifically scheduled to coincide with the Victory and Independence Day that Abkhazia marked on September 30. "I am proud to be among the Abkhazian people on this occasion and I am sure that our countries will develop cooperation in many areas," Buraman added.

The treaty stipulates trade and economic, scientific and technical cooperation and also cooperation in the field of foreign policy, education, health-care and culture.

Abkhazia’s Prime Minister Beslan Bartsits highlighted the importance of the diplomatic relations between the two countries, established back in 2009 after Nauru had recognized Abkhazia’s independence.

Russia was the first to recognize Abkhazia’s independence on September 26, 2008. The same year Nicaragua followed and a year later Venezuela and Nauru. Abkhazia had established diplomatic relations with all these countries.