At a meeting of the Public Council under the Ministry, Inal Ardzinba, the de-facto Foreign Minister of separatist Abkhazia, said that Russia is a strategic ally of Abkhazia and provides the republic with appropriate support. According to him, as long as Russia is headed by Vladimir Putin, everything will go well for Abkhazia.
"The President of Russia respects the state sovereignty of Abkhazia, our historical destiny, our traditions, and our national identity. As long as Vladimir Putin is Russia’s President, everything will be fine with us, we will receive appropriate support," the head of the de-facto Abkhaz Foreign Ministry added. "Let's not forget that Vladimir Putin ended Abkhazia's economic blockade on September 9, 1999," he stated. In addition, Inal Ardzinba stated that it is expected that the Russian President will soon sign an agreement resolving the problem of dual citizenship with Abkhazia.
As previously reported by Caucasus Watch, the Russian State Duma approved a deal to make dual citizenship easier in the occupied Tskhinvali Region/South Ossetia. Under the terms of the deal, South Ossetians can get Russian citizenship without giving up their passports. Russian nationals will have the same opportunity to apply for South Ossetia documents. South Ossetians over the age of 18 will be able to apply for Russian citizenship in a streamlined way, while children under the age of 14 will inherit their parents' citizenship. The draught agreement permits dual nationals to serve in the military in their permanent residency at the time of conscription and exempts individuals who have served in the military in one party from being drafted in the other.
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