Abkhazian Foreign Minister Oleg Bartsits has met with his Syrian counterpart Assad al-Shaibani in Damascus where they discussed developing trade via the sea. While Abkhazia’s Foreign Ministry issued a statement on the visit, neither the Syrian Foreign Ministry nor official Syrian news agencies have reported on it.
The two foreign ministers met in Damascus on Thursday.
According to a statement issued by the Abkhazian Foreign Ministry, the two discussed Abkhazian–Syrian cooperation and current affairs.
Bartsits thanked al-Shaibani for his warm welcome and Syria’s ‘clear and unambiguous position’ on issues pertaining to Abkhazia.
The two additionally discussed developing transport and logistics infrastructure using sea ports to create ‘preconditions for the development of trade and business’.
In the statement, the ministry announced that Abkhazia would be taking part in the 62nd Damascus International Fair between 27 August and 5 September.
Following the meeting, Bartsits ‘presented valuable gifts’ to al-Shaibani and invited him to visit Abkhazia — an invitation he also extended to Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa.
Syria under former President Bashar al-Assad, a key ally of Moscow, was one of the handful of countries to have recognised Abkhazia and South Ossetia’s independence. However, since the fall of al-Assad’s regime, Georgia appears to have increased diplomatic efforts to persuade Syria to drop its recognition of the two.
According to the Georgian Parliament, the chair of the Foreign Relations Committee, Nikoloz Samkharadze, met with his Turkish counterpart Fuat Oktay on 18 June, during which he provided Oktay with ‘an update on the situation in the occupied regions of Georgia and asked for his assistance in mediating with the newly formed Syrian government’ to recall its recognition of Abkhazia and South Ossetia.
In early June, The UN’s General Assembly passed a resolution calling for the right of return for internally displaced persons (IDPs) from Abkhazia and South Ossetia, with a record number of 107 countries voting in favour.
Syria, which had routinely voted against the resolution during the regime of al-Assad, abstained.
Nate Ostiller
