Georgia’s breakaway region leader stresses importance of economic ties with Belarus

November 2, BPN. Aslan Bzhania, the leader of Georgia’s breakaway region of Abkhazia, has said it is important to develop economic relations between Sukhumi and Minsk.

“We believe that economic development issues are very important for us,” he told a delegation of the Russia-Belarus union on November 1, as quoted by his press office.

“The president of Belarus recently visited, we outlined certain steps and hope that there will be even more. We want to live in peace and create,” he said.

Bzhania said it is necessary to intensify relations between the two sides’ legislators, executives and various public administration bodies.

Belarus was represented at the meeting by senator Dźmitryj Baskaŭ and MPs Siarhiej Kliševič and Volha Pietrašova.

Łukašenka and Bzhania met in Pitsunda on September 28. Łukašenka said he wanted to establish a “very serious” relationship with the region.

So far, Belarus has been reluctant to join the small list of countries that recognize Abkhazia.