WASHINGTON, August 26 (RIA Novosti) – The United States does not recognize the legitimacy of the elections in Abkhazia, held on August 24, Jen Psaki, spokesperson for the US Department of State said.
"The United States is not recognizing the legitimacy of the so called presidential elections [in Abkhazia] on August 24 and will not acknowledge their outcome," Psaki stated on Monday.
"Our position on Abkhazia and South Ossetia remains clear. We once again urge Russia to fulfill all of its obligations under the 2008 Ceasefire Agreement, including withdrawing forces to pre-conflict positions reversal of its recognition of the Georgian regions as independent states,”she added.
Earlier in the day, the head of NATO, Anders Fogh Rasmussen, also announced the Alliance does not recognize the elections and stressed that the vote does not contribute to a lasting settlement of the situation in Georgia.
Georgia’s former Abkhazian republic held a presidential election on Sunday, after a major split between the government and the opposition triggered a wave of protests across the country forcing president Alexander Ankvab to step down on June 1.
On Monday, Batal Tabagua, the Chairman of the Central Election Commission of the Republic of Abkhazia, announced that the presidential poll had been recognized as valid with no significant violations registered. Opposition leader Raul Hajimba, who formerly served as the country’s vice president and prime minister, secured victory garnering 50.57 per cent of the votes.
Abkhazia broke away from Georgia, following an ethnically tinged war of 1992-1993, just after the Soviet collapse. It has been officially recognized by a limited number of countries, including Russia, Nicaragua, Venezuela and Nauru. Tuvalu recognized Abkhazia’s independence in September 2011, but withdrew its recognition in March 2014. Most countries continue to consider Abkhazia a part of Georgia.
