21 August 2008, 10:29
Abkhazia and South Ossetia ask Russia to recognize their independence
Abkhazia has sent an application of the republic's president and parliament to Russia asking to recognize its independence, President Sergey Bagapsh has announced. Leader of South Ossetia Eduard Kokoity has also prepared an appeal to President of Russia with a request to recognize the independence of his republic.
We remind you that on August 20 the parliament of Abkhazia approved Sergey Bagapsh's appeal "On Recognition of State Independence of the Republic of Abkhazia", addressed to Dmitri Medvedev, President of the Russian Federation, Council of the Federation of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation and State Duma of the Russian Federation. Also, the parliamentarians have approved a similar appeal to the nations of the world, parliaments and heads of the states.
Today, the all-national rally in Sukhumi, where the appeal of the people of Abkhazia to Russian leadership on recognition of the independence of the republic was adopted, brought together over 47,000 persons.
The participants of the rally held posters with the words of gratitude to Russian peacekeepers and condemnations of Georgian troops' actions in South Ossetia, the RIA "Novosti" reports.
According to Sergey Bagapsh, "while prior to the attack on South Ossetia there was a chance to negotiate peace, after the aggression against Tskhinvali Georgia has itself hammered the big nail into the coffin of its statehood and territorial integrity."
Tskhinvali is also hosting a rally today, where President of South Ossetia Eduard Kokoity has stated that he prepared an appeal to President of Russia and world leaders asking them to recognize the independence of the republic, the ITAR-TASS reports.
