Foreign relations of South Ossetia

Foreign relations of South Ossetia

  diplomatic relations and recognition

  diplomatic recognition only

The Republic of South Ossetia – the State of Alania is a partially recognized state in the South Caucasus that declared independence from Georgia during the South Ossetia War (1991–1992). At the time, the Soviet Union had only just recently collapsed (in 1991). Since 1991, South Ossetia has sought recognition as a sovereign state from the international community. South Ossetia is considered by most of the international community to be a part of Georgia.

South Ossetia maintains relations with 5 United Nations (UN) member states and 3 other partially recognized states. These include: Russia, Nauru, Nicaragua, Syria, Venezuela, Abkhazia (also claimed by Georgia), the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (self-declared state in the non-self-governing territory of Western Sahara, claimed and administered by Morocco), and Transnistria (claimed by Moldova). South Ossetia was central to the Russo-Georgian War (12 days in August 2008), alongside Abkhazia. Shortly after the war, Russia recognized South Ossetia (26 August 2008), the first UN member state to do so.

The Donetsk People's Republic and the Luhansk People's Republic arranged mutual recognition with South Ossetia in 2014, but they were annexed by Russia on 30 September 2022.

Relations with sovereign states

Country	Date of recognition	Notes
Iran	—	In July 2019, the South Ossetian Minister of Foreign Affairs Dmitry Medoyev said that his country is willing to expand its cooperation with Iran. There are "deep-rooted economic, scientific and cultural ties between Iran and South Ossetian" he added. [1]
Nauru	December 2009	In December 2009, Nauru recognized the independence of South Ossetia. Nauru's foreign minister, Kieren Keke, visited Tskhinvali that year. [2] [3] In 2012, the South Ossetian Independence Day celebrations were attended by President Sprent Dabwido, who delivered a speech at the ceremony. [4] In 2018, a South Ossetian delegation visited Nauru and the country's foreign ministry appointed a New Zealander as a representative in Nauru. [5]
Nicaragua	5 September 2008	Main article: Nicaragua–South Ossetia relations On 5 September 2008, Nicaragua became the second UN member state to recognize South Ossetia.
Russia	26 August 2008	Main article: Russia–South Ossetia relations On 26 August 2008, Russia became the first UN member state to recognize South Ossetia. Russia plans on building an embassy in Tskhinvali. [6]
Syria	29 May 2018	On 29 May 2018, Syria became the latest UN member state to recognize South Ossetia. On 22 July 2018, during the state visit of President Anatoly Bibilov to Damascus, South Ossetia and Syria have signed an agreement on establishing diplomatic ties. [7] [8] [9]
Turkey	—	South Ossetia and Turkey have no official relations. In 2019, South Ossetia named a representative for Turkey. [10] In 2020, the representative died. Around 50,000 Ossetians live in Turkey.
Tuvalu	19 September 2011–31 March 2014	In 2011, the government of Prime Minister Willy Telavi recognized Abkhazia and South Ossetia. [11] However, the government of Prime Minister Enele Sopoaga retracted the recognition of Abkhazia and South Ossetia on 31 March 2014 when Tuvalu's Foreign Minister Taukelina Finikaso signed an agreement to establish diplomatic relations with Georgia. Tuvalu's Foreign Minister said that his country supports Georgia's territorial integrity in its international recognized borders. [12] [13]
Venezuela	10 September 2009	Main article: South Ossetia–Venezuela relations On 10 September 2009, Venezuela became the third UN member state to recognize South Ossetia.

Relations with partially recognized states

Country	Date of recognition	Notes
Abkhazia	19 September 2005 or before [note 1]	Main article: Abkhazia–South Ossetia relations Abkhazia and South Ossetia recognized each other's independence on 19 September 2005 or before. [note 1] Abkhazia has an embassy in Tskhinvali.
Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic	30 September 2010 ( de facto ) [14] [15] [16] [17] [18] [19]	On 29 September 2010 the SADR Minister for African Issues Mohamed Yeslem Beyssat said referring to South Ossetia: “Western Sahara de facto recognizes the independence of South Ossetia. Now we have to formalise relations de jure, including the establishment of diplomatic relations". [15] The two states have had various formal and informal contacts. [20]
Transnistria	12 October 1994 or before [note 1]	Representative offices of Transnistria in Abkhazia and South Ossetia have been opened. [21] Representative offices of Abkhazia and South Ossetia in Tiraspol have been opened.

Relations with former partially recognized states

Country	Date of recognition	Notes
Artsakh	17 November 2006 [22] –1 January 2024	Artsakh, Abkhazia and South Ossetia mutually recognized each other. [23] Artsakh would cease to exist following an Azerbaijani offensive in 2023.
Donetsk People's Republic	13 May 2015–30 September 2022	Main article: Donetsk People's Republic–South Ossetia relations South Ossetia recognized Donetsk People's Republic on 27 June 2014. Donetsk People's Republic recognized South Ossetia on 13 May 2015. The DPR was annexed by Russia on 30 September 2022. The annexation is internationally unrecognized.
Luhansk People's Republic	28 January 2015–30 September 2022	After receiving diplomatic recognition from South Ossetia in 2014, the Luhansk People's Republic reciprocated recognition on 28 January 2015. [24] In April 2015, South Ossetia opened the first foreign embassy in Luhansk. [25] The LPR was annexed by Russia on 30 September 2022. The annexation is internationally unrecognized.

Diplomatic missions

Offices in South Ossetia

Main article: List of diplomatic missions in South Ossetia

Ossetian missions

Main article: Diplomatic missions of South Ossetia

Membership in international organizations

As of March 2009, South Ossetia is a member of one international organization, the Community for Democracy and Human Rights.

See also

• Foreign relations of Abkhazia

Notes

1. The date when Abkhazia, South Ossetia and Transnistria recognize each other is not clear. Abkhazia and Transnistria signed a Treaty on Friendship and Cooperation ^{[ usurped ]} on 22 January 1993, South Ossetia and Transnistria a Treaty on Friendship and Cooperation ^{[ usurped ]} on 12 October 1994 and Abkhazia and South Ossetia a Treaty on Friendship and Cooperation on 19 September 2005.

References

1. South Ossetia Willing to Boost Cooperation with Iran, tasnimnews.com 20 July 2019.
2. Luke Harding: Tiny Nauru struts world stage by recognising breakaway republics, theguardian.com 14 December 2009.
3. Nauru recognises South Ossetia and Abkhazia, telegraph.co.uk 15 December 2009.
4. "Президент Науру: мы не будем отзывать признание Абхазии и Южной Осетии" [President of Nauru: we will not withdraw recognition of Abkhazia and South Ossetia]. ria.ru (in Russian). 20 September 2012.
5. New Zealander to represent South Ossetia in Nauru, radionz.co.nz 25 January 2018.
6. "Vladimir Putin signed a direction about establishment of Russian embassies in Abkhazia and South Ossetia". REGNUM. 11 February 2009. Archived from the original on 21 February 2009. Retrieved 5 April 2009.
7. "Syria, South Ossetia Sign Agreement on Establishing Diplomatic Ties". Syria Times. 22 July 2018. Retrieved 22 July 2018.
8. "Bashar al-Assad Hosts Anatoly Bibilov" . Retrieved 24 July 2018.
9. "Leader of breakaway South Ossetia meets Assad in Syria" . Retrieved 24 July 2018.
10. "Полпредом МИД Южной Осетии в Турецкой Республике назначен Ремзи Канукати" . Retrieved 31 December 2020.
11. Sukhumi (23 September 2011). "Tuvalu becomes sixth state to recognize Abkhazia". Rianovosti. Retrieved 2 March 2014.
12. "Tuvalu Retracts Abkhazia, S.Ossetia Recognition". civil.ge. 31 March 2014. Archived from the original on 31 March 2014. Retrieved 31 March 2014.
13. "Tuvalu scraps recognition of Georgia breakaway regions". Business Standard/AFP (Tbilisi). 31 March 2014. Retrieved 1 April 2014.
14. Semi-Recognized Western Sahara to Recognize South Ossetia // Georgian Daily, 29 September 2010
15. "Semi-Recognized Western Sahara to Recognize South Ossetia". EurasiaNet.org. Retrieved 5 April 2016.
16. ПОЛИСАРИО: "Западная Сахара признает независимость и суверенитет Южной Осетии" // Regnum, 29 September 2010
17. Константин Кочиев: независимость Южной Осетии признает Западная Сахара // Кавказский Узел, 30 September 2010
18. Независимость Южной Осетии признала непризнанная Западная Сахара, на очереди – Алжир // NEWSru.com, 30 September 2010
19. Грузия: Непризнанная Западная Сахара признала Цхинвал // Росбалт, 30 September 2010
20. "Greetings of the Republic of South Ossetia Ministry of Foreign Affairs to the Sahara Arab Democratic Republic on the occasion of 35 anniversary of the Declaration of Independence Day of SADR | Министерство иностранных дел". mfa-rso.su. Retrieved 29 May 2018.
21. Представительство Приднестровской Молдавской Республики в Республике Южная Осетия. Representative office of Transnistria in South Ossetia (in Russian). Retrieved 13 April 2016.
22. "Cтраны, признавшие независимость Республики Абхазия". Archived from the original on 18 February 2013. Retrieved 5 April 2016.
23. Вице-спикер парламента Абхазии: Выборы в НКР соответствуют всем международным стандартам: "Абхазия, Южная Осетия, НКР и Приднестровье уже давно признали независимость друг друга и очень тесно сотрудничают между собой", – сказал вице-спикер парламента Абхазии. ... "...Абхазия признала независимость Нагорно-Карабахской Республики..." – сказал он."
24. "Luhansk People's Republic Recognizes South Ossetia – News". The Moscow Times. Retrieved 5 April 2016.
25. Vadim Dyakonov. "The Embassy of South Ossetia opened in LNR". «15-th REGION». Archived from the original on 23 March 2016. Retrieved 5 April 2016.

External links

• The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of South Ossetia Website