Alexander Surikov: To recognize the independence of South Ossetia and Abkhazia is the sovereign right of Belarus

Mr Alexander Surikov, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Russian Federation to Belarus , said that Belarus should decide without anyone’s assistance whether to recognize the independence of South Ossetia and Abkhazia or not as it is its sovereign right. Alexander Surikov also refuted an opinion that Belarus must recognize the independence of South Ossetia and Abkhazia under the agreement on the Union State formation and stressed that the Union State is being formed by the two sovereign states both of which have the right to resolve foreign policy problems on their own.

Mr Alexander Surikov, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Russian Federation to Belarus , said that Belarus should decide without anyone’s assistance whether to recognize the independence of South Ossetia and Abkhazia or not as it is its sovereign right. Alexander Surikov also refuted an opinion that Belarus must recognize the independence of South Ossetia and Abkhazia under the agreement on the Union State formation and stressed that the Union State is being formed by the two sovereign states both of which have the right to resolve foreign policy problems on their own.

At the same time, the Ambassador informed that Russia expects official Minsk which is the closest ally of Moscow to recognize state sovereignity of these republics. Alexander Surikov noted that that during his visit to Sochi the president of the Republic of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko met the Heads of South Ossetia and Abkhazia – Eduard Kokoity and Sergey Bagapsha. It may well be that at the meeting they discussed the recognition of Sukhumi and Tskhinvali by official Minsk .