aleksander_ankvab_-_vladimer_putin_2013-08-26

De facto president Alexandre Ankvab (left) and Russian president Vladimer Putin. (Kremlin photo.)

TBILISI, DFWatch–The European Union Delegation to Georgia expresses concern about Russian President Vladimir Putin’s recent visit to Abkhazia, a breakaway region of Georgia.

The EU delegation on Tuesday issued a statement saying that it recalls that the EU doesn’t consider such visits compatible with the principles of sovereignty and territorial integrity.

In the statement, which was issued in agreement with the heads of the missions of EU states in Georgia, the EU delegation underlines the EU’s stern support for Georgia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity within its internationally recognized borders. The delegation underlines the importance to peacefully solve the conflict in the region and calls for strong commitment by the all interested parties.

On August 26, Putin visited Abkhazia to meet with de facto president Alexander Ankvab and other officials and congratulated them on ‘the five year anniversary of Russia recognizing independence of Abkhazia.’

The Georgian government has sent a note of protest to Russia through Swiss intermediaries expressing concern about the visit.