Russia restored justice by recognizing the independence of Abkhazia and South Ossetia, said Maxim Gvindzhia, Assistant to the President of Abkhazia for International Affairs, ex-Foreign Minister of Abkhazia. The same opinion is shared by the Presidential Plenipotentiary of South Ossetia for post-conflict settlement, ex-head of the South Ossetian Foreign Ministry Murat Dzhioev - he has noted that both republics have come a long way in 13 years of recognizing their independence.
On the night of August 8, 2008, Georgia launched an armed attack on South Ossetia. Russia stood up to protect the citizens of the Republic and its peacekeepers who had been working in the region since 1992. As a result of five days of hostilities, more than 1,000 people were killed, of which 72 were Russian servicemen. On August 26, 2008, Russia recognized the independence of South Ossetia and Abkhazia, and in subsequent years Nicaragua, Venezuela, Nauru, Tuvalu, Vanuatu and Syria followed its example.
"It was a well-deserved recognition; we had been going for a long time ... The whole world in August 2008 were observing how the Georgian aggressors tried to destroy the people of South Ossetia and only thanks to Russia, which then interceded and suffered human casualties and serious political costs in the international arena, restored justice by recognizing the independence of the two republics. For this, of course, our peoples will always have gratitude, "Gvindzhia said on Wednesday during a video bridge in connection with the upcoming 13th anniversary of the recognition of the republics on August 26.
According to him, "if Georgia had managed to seize South Ossetia in 2008, bomb the Ruck tunnel", today South Ossetia would have appealed to all international organizations "and no any international community would have been able to protect the rights of Ossetians and Abkhazians and justice would not have been restored."
According to Dzhioev, "the recognition of the independence of Abkhazia and South Ossetia is an assessment of the path that the two republics have passwd." “Building our statehood for many years, seeking recognition, we did not make a single mistake. Russia recognized our republics, plus ensured security,” Dzhioev said during the video bridge. According to the politician, in 13 years after the recognition of the independence of both states, they "have gone a fairly long way of establishing friendly, partner, mutually beneficial relations with the Russian Federation, which are based on a solid contractual basis."
Prospects for further recognition
As noted by Gvindzhia, the two republics continue to coordinate joint actions on further recognition, "this process has great prospects and wide recognition of Abkhazia and South Ossetia is not far off." According to him, there are several states "practically ready to recognize Abkhazia and South Ossetia." At the same time, Gvindzhia believes that "many countries are afraid to take this step first," because "they will be subject to tough pressure from the West, in particular the United States."
In addition, according to Gvindzhia, both republics "have many friends and allies who, for certain reasons, cannot recognize their independence legally, but it is already possible to conduct commercial mutually beneficial activities with them, and these countries are ready to recognize Abkhazia and South Ossetia economically, which is also important. "
