Abkhazia–South Ossetia relations (; ; ) are bilateral

foreign relations Foreign policy, also known as external policy, is the set of strategies and actions a State (polity), state employs in its interactions with other states, unions, and international entities. It encompasses a wide range of objectives, includ ...

between the Republic of Abkhazia and the Republic of South Ossetia, whose international status is disputed – they are both considered part of

Georgia Georgia most commonly refers to: * Georgia (country), a country in the South Caucasus * Georgia (U.S. state), a state in the southeastern United States Georgia may also refer to: People and fictional characters * Georgia (name), a list of pe ...

by the majority of the world's states. Abkhazia and South Ossetia recognized each other's independence by signing of treaty of friendship and cooperation or before. On 19 September 2005, a day before the 15th anniversary of South Ossetia's independence, President Sergei Bagapsh of Abkhazia and President Eduard Kokoity of

South Ossetia South Ossetia, officially the Republic of South Ossetia or the State of Alania, is a landlocked country in the South Caucasus with International recognition of Abkhazia and South Ossetia, partial diplomatic recognition. It has an offici ...

signed a treaty of friendship and cooperation in

Tskhinvali Tskhinvali ( ka, ცხინვალი ) or Tskhinval (, ; , ) is the capital of the disputed ''de facto'' independent Republic of South Ossetia, internationally considered part of Shida Kartli, Georgia (except by Russia and four other UN m ...

. The treaty was ratified by South Ossetia's Parliament on 27 December and by Abkhazia's Parliament on 15 February 2006. On 20 September, Kokoity awarded Bagapsh with the Medal of Honour. Diplomatic relations between both countries were established on 26 September 2007. In recent years, the governments of Abkhazia and South Ossetia have been working closely together in search of more international recognition. The leaders of Abkhazia and South Ossetia have also signed a mutual defense pact, stating that in case either country is attacked, the other must become involved in the other's defense.Russia Today- Abkhazia starts war with Georgia During the 2008

Russo-Georgian war The August 2008 Russo-Georgian War, also known as the Russian invasion of Georgia,Occasionally, the war is also referred to by other names, such as the Five-Day War and August War. was a war waged against Georgia by the Russian Federation and the ...

, Abkhazian soldiers and volunteers backed by Russian paratroopers drove Georgian troops from their last stronghold in Abkhazia's

Kodori Valley , , photo = , photo_caption = , map = Caucasus mountains#Georgia#Georgia Abkhazia , map_image = , map_caption = , location = , country_type = Internationally recognised ...

while Russian and South Ossetian forces were engaged in heavy combat with Georgian forces. On 18 August 2015, Abkhazia and South Ossetia signed an agreement on visa-free travel during a visit by Abkhazia's Foreign Minister Viacheslav Chirikba to Tskhinvali. Both states are members of the

Community for Democracy and Rights of Nations The Community for Democracy and Rights of Nations, also commonly and colloquially known as the Commonwealth of Unrecognized States, rarely as CIS-2, is an international organization in Eastern Europe and the South Caucasus of three breakaway ...

Ambassadors

On 26 September 2007,

's first

ambassador An ambassador is an official envoy, especially a high-ranking diplomat who represents a state and is usually accredited to another sovereign state or to an international organization as the resident representative of their own government or so ...

to Abkhazia Robert Kokoity presented his credentials to Abkhazia's President Sergei Bagapsh. On 15 April 2008 South Ossetia's chancery in Abkhazia's capital

Sukhumi Sukhumi or Sokhumi is a city in a wide bay on the Black Sea's eastern coast. It is both the Capital city, capital and largest city of Abkhazia, a partially recognised state that most countries consider a part of Georgia (country), Georgia. The ...

was formally opened. On 10 December December 2010, President Kokoity accepted the credentials of Nodar Pliev, the ambassador of Abkhazia to South Ossetia. After succeeding Eduard Kokoity as President of South Ossetia,

Leonid Tibilov Leonid Kharitonovich Tibilov (; ; ka, ლეონიდ თიბილოვი, Leonid Tibilovi; born 28 March 1951) is a South Ossetian politician who served as the third president of South Ossetia from 2012 to 2017 after winning the 2012 So ...

dismissed Robert Kokoity as Ambassador on 25 July 2012. On 15 April 2013, Oleg Botsiev was appointed as his successor. On 19 August, Botsiev presented his credentials to Abkhazian Foreign Minister Viacheslav Chirikba, and on 20 August, to President Alexander Ankvab. On 27 January 2014, President Ankvab recalled Nodar Pliev as ambassador to South Ossetia and appointed Alan Elbakiev as his successor. Elbakiev received his credentials on 7 February and presented them to President

of South Ossetia on 28 February. In August 2015, Abkhazia's chancery in

was officially inaugurated.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Abkhazia-South Ossetia Relations

Bilateral relations of South Ossetia

Ambassadors

See also

References