Tbilisi, Georgia, May 20
By Nana Kirtzkhalia - Trend:
The agreements formalized among the Italian cities and the Georgian breakaway region of Abkhazia will be canceled effective immediately.
The Italian diplomatic mission to Tbilisi stressed this point in a letter they sent to the Georgian government, Georgian First Deputy Foreign Minister David Zalkaliani said at a briefing on May 19.
"Such initiatives do not reflect the Italian Foreign Ministry's position on Abkhazia, which is unchanged," the letter proclaimed. "Moreover, the agreements signed in 2014 are not consistent with Italian law, which regulates the international activity of local authorities."
The matter rests in the agreements. The agreements were signed among several cities of Italy and Sukhumi, Pitsunda and New Athos, according to some media reports.
Large scale military action was launched in South Ossetia on August 8, 2008. Later, Russian troops occupied Tskhinvali and expelled the Georgian military.
Russia recognized the independence of South Ossetia and Abkhazia in late August. In response, Tbilisi ended diplomatic relations with Moscow and has called the two unrecognized republics of Abkhazia and South Ossetia occupied territories.