Abkhaz FM: NATO Membership will Make Georgian Agression Unlikely

Abkhaz de-facto Foreign Minister Sergey Shamba said, Georgia’s potential membership in NATO would “make a task of recognition of Abkhazian independence more difficult, but would provide us with additional guarantees in a sense that [military] aggression [against Abkhazia] would become less likely,” Interfax news agency reported on March 17.

Shamba said Russia must recognize Abkhaz independence while Kosovo precedent would still be fresh and before Georgia and other countries of South Caucasus enter NATO.

“Abkhazia could become the only buffer state between Russia and the NATO-dominated region,” Shamba added.

Similar statements were made to Russian Interfax news agency by Vice-President of breakaway Abkhazia Raul Khajimba.

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