Abkhazian Foreign Minister Daur Kove announced Monday that his country plans to open an embassy in Damascus in the near future, as part of diplomatic and trade steps launched by the Syrian government and backed by Moscow, to move towards normalization.
Last May, Syria had officially recognized the independence of the two republics of South Ossetia and Abkhazia, to become the fifth country, after Russia, Venezuela, Nicaragua and Nauru, that recognizes the independence of those two provinces from Georgia.
The two republics are still considered by Tbilisi a part of Georgia.
During a visit to Syria in September 2018, Abkhazian President Raul Khajimba signed a Friendship and Cooperation Treaty with his Syrian counterpart Bashar Assad. They also agreed on the establishment of a joint committee on cooperation in economy, trade, science, art and culture.
Syria had earlier recognized Moscow’s 2014 decision to annex the Crimean Peninsula on the Black Sea from Ukraine, driving harsh criticisms from Kiev and the West.
Following Damascus’ position, Kiev downsized its diplomatic relations with Syria and it refused to renew the credentials of Syrian diplomats, prompting the closure of the Syrian embassy in the Ukrainian capital.
On Monday, Kove was in Moscow for talks on a wide range of matters of mutual concern.
Separately, Israeli Immigrant Absorption Minister and Likud candidate for the upcoming elections, Yoav Galant published on Monday a plan that encouraged Jews to move and live in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights.
He made the announcement ahead of an anticipated visit to the occupied territories by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Based on Galant’s plan, tens of thousands of settlement units are expected to be built there to house 250,000 Jews by 2048.
