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 Abkhazia |  Turkey |
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Relations between Abkhazia and Turkey have not been not officially established. Although Turkey has not recognized Abkhazia's independence and regards it as de jure part of Georgia, the two governments reportedly have secret ties. [1]
On 22 September 1996, Turkey announced that residents of Abkhazia would no longer be allowed to travel to Turkey on Soviet-era identification documents, and would instead have to obtain Georgian passports. [2]
In July 2009, Abkhazian Foreign Minister Sergei Shamba said that the Abkhazian government has certain contacts with the government of Turkey; negotiations on resumption of air and sea communication are being held. [3]
Officially, the Turkish government did not want to antagonize its neighbor and important trading partner Georgia. It is also why Turkey allegedly maintained a strict trade embargo on Abkhazia. [1] In 2009, several Turkish ships heading to Abkhazia have been seized by Georgian naval forces in international waters due to the Georgian sea blockade of Abkhazia. [1]
There is a large Abkhaz diaspora consisting of the descendants of the Abkhaz who fled or were expelled from Abkhazia in the 19th century. [4]
In 1994, Abkhazia established the post of a plenipotentiary representative of the Republic of Abkhazia in the Turkish Republic. [5]
In September 2009, the Foreign Ministry Deputy Undersecretary Ünal Çeviköz went to the Abkhaz capital of Sukhum, where he met with Abkhaz officials. This was the first visit to Abkhazia of a foreign national diplomat since the August 2008 war. [6]
The importance of the Turkish factor in Abkhaz policy was demonstrated by the first visit by President Bagapsh to Ankara in April 2011. [7]
Turkey's ambassador to Georgia, Murat Buhran, stated in 2014 that Turkey and Abkhazia had established a special group to deepen “bilateral” ties. [8]
In 2021, Abkhazia appointed a new Plenipotentiary Representative of Abkhazia in Turkey. Ibrakhim Avidzba previously worked for the State Security Service of Abkhazia. [9]
Today, Turkey is Abkhazia's second-most important trade partner with about 18 percent of Abkhazia's trade turnover. [8]
In 2016, Abkhazia joined sanctions imposed by Russia on Turkey. [10] [11]
In 2020, the Turkish banks Ziraat Bank and İşbank began servicing the Abkhaz credit card system APRA. [12] [13] The Georgian foreign ministry responded by stating that the Abkhaz APRA cards are regular Russian Mir cards. [14]
The office of Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Abkhazia was created on 17 May 1993, during the 1992–1993 war with Georgia. Due to the diplomatic isolation of Abkhazia, which remains widely unrecognised, the role of the foreign minister has been restricted mostly to negotiations over resolving the Georgian-Abkhazian conflict. Empirical data nevertheless show that Abkhazia's Foreign Ministry also enacts diplomatic relations, such as the sending of diplomatic notes, with various countries across the world, including Nauru, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Nicaragua, and Syria. It is also active in managing relations with other post-Soviet de facto states such as South Ossetia, Transnistria, and the Lugansk People's Republic.
Sergei Uasyl-ipa Bagapsh was an Abkhaz politician who served as the second President of Abkhazia from 12 February 2005 until his death on 29 May 2011. He previously served as Prime Minister of Abkhazia from 1997 to 1999. He was re-elected in the 2009 presidential election. Bagapsh's term as Prime Minister included the 1998 war with Georgia, while he oversaw both the recognition of Abkhazia by Russia and the Russo-Georgian War during his presidency.
Sergei Shamba is a senior politician from Abkhazia. He is currently a member of the People's Assembly of Abkhazia and Chairman of United Abkhazia. He was Prime Minister of Abkhazia under President Sergei Bagapsh from 13 February 2010 until 27 September 2011. Between 1997 and 2010 he had been Minister for Foreign Affairs under both Bagapsh and his predecessor Vladislav Ardzinba, with only a half-year interruption in 2004. Shamba has twice unsuccessfully participated in presidential elections, in 2004 and 2011. He has been a staunch proponent for dialogue between Abkhazia and Georgia.
The Abkhazians or Abkhazes are a Northwest Caucasian ethnic group, mainly living in Abkhazia, a disputed region on the northeastern coast of the Black Sea. A large Abkhaz diaspora population resides in Turkey, the origins of which lie in the population movements from the Caucasus in the late 19th century. Many Abkhaz also live in other parts of the former Soviet Union, particularly in Russia and Ukraine.
Aleksandr Zolotinskovich Ankvab is an Abkhaz politician and businessman who was president of Abkhazia from 29 May 2011, until his resignation on 1 June 2014. Under president Sergei Bagapsh, he previously served as prime minister from 2005 to 2010 and vice-president from 2010 to 2011. He was appointed prime minister again on 23 April 2020.
The history of Abkhazia, a region in the South Caucasus, spans more than 5,000 years from its settlement by the lower-paleolithic hunter-gatherers to its present status as a partially recognized state.
The War in Abkhazia was fought between Georgian government forces for the most part and Abkhaz separatist forces, Russian government armed forces and North Caucasian militants between 1992 and 1993. Ethnic Georgians who lived in Abkhazia fought largely on the side of Georgian government forces. Ethnic Armenians and Russians within Abkhazia's population largely supported the Abkhazians and many fought on their side. The separatists received support from thousands of North Caucasus and Cossack militants and from the Russian Federation forces stationed in and near Abkhazia.
The Republic of Abkhazia is a partially recognized state in the South Caucasus which declared independence from Georgia during the War in Abkhazia (1992–1993). At the time, the Soviet Union had recently collapsed (1991).
Abkhazian railway is a rail operator in the partially recognised state of Abkhazia. Under a monopoly agreement, it is fully managed and partially owned by Russian Railways for a ten year contract from 2009-2019.
The following outline is provided as an overview of and topical guide to Abkhazia:
Abkhazia, officially the Republic of Abkhazia, is a partially recognised state in the South Caucasus, on the eastern coast of the Black Sea, at the intersection of Eastern Europe and Western Asia. It covers 8,665 square kilometres (3,346 sq mi) and has a population of around 245,000. Its capital and largest city is Sukhumi.
Abkhazia and South Ossetia are disputed territories in the Caucasus. Most countries recognise them as part of Georgia, while Russia, Venezuela, Nicaragua, Nauru, and Syria regard them as independent. Russia's initial recognition of the independence of Abkhazia and South Ossetia occurred in the aftermath of the Russo-Georgian War in 2008. The government of Georgia considers the republics to be Russian-occupied territories.
Abkhazia–Russia relations is the bilateral relationship between the Republic of Abkhazia and the Russian Federation. Russia recognised Abkhazia on 26 August 2008, following the August 2008 Russo-Georgian War. Abkhazia and Russia established diplomatic relations on 9 September 2008.
Abkhazia is a de facto independent, partially recognised country lying on the eastern coast of the Black Sea, its southern border. It is bordered by Russia to the north, and Georgia to the east recognised by Russia, Nicaragua, Venezuela, and the de facto independent republics of South Ossetia and Transnistria, in which context it is referred to as the Republic of Abkhazia with Sukhumi as its capital.
The Social-Democratic Party of Abkhazia is an oppositional political party in Abkhazia. It was founded during the crisis that followed the October 2004 presidential election by people from the presidential campaign of Sergei Shamba, who had come third in the election. Besides Shamba himself, initial members included his vice presidential candidate Vladimir Arshba, chief of staff Gennady Alamia and former vice premier Albert Topolian. The foundational congress of the Social-Democratic Party took place on 15 October 2005 in the State Drama Theatre of Abkhazia, where Gennadi Alamia was elected its first chairman. The Union of Social-Democratic Youth was founded as the party's youth wing, headed by Abkhazian State University student Astamur Logua.
Abkhazia–Venezuela relations refers to bilateral relations between the breakaway Republic of Abkhazia and Venezuela. Venezuela recognised Abkhazia, along with South Ossetia, on 10 September 2009, almost ten years after the country declared independence from Georgia in 1999. Venezuela was the third state to recognise Abkhazia and South Ossetia, after Russia and Nicaragua.
Viacheslav Chirikba is a linguist and politician from Abkhazia. He was Minister for Foreign Affairs of Abkhazia between 2011 and 2016.
Abkhazia–Syria relations refers to the bilateral relationship between the Republic of Abkhazia and Syria. Syria recognised Abkhazia on 29 May 2018. The establishment of relations on an embassy-level was announced very early. Syria has an embassy in Sukhumi. Abkhazia has an embassy in Damascus.
The Abkhaz State Archive is the main archive of Abkhazia, a disputed territory in the South Caucasus and breakaway republic of Georgia. It is located in Sukhum, the capital of Abkhazia.
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