Nicaragua to Recognize Abkhazia, S.Ossetia

Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega said on September 3 his country would recognize Abkhazia and South Ossetia, AFP reported.

Nicaragua will be the second state after Russia to recognize the two breakaway regions. Venezuela and Belarus have also welcomed Russia’s decision to recognize Abkhazia and South Ossetia, but they have not yet formally recognized them.

U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice told journalists on September 3 that “almost no one has followed” Russia’s recognition of the two breakaway regions.

“It really isn’t a very impressive list to have Abkhazia and South Ossetia recognize each other, and I don’t know what Hamas is doing recognizing anybody, given that I don’t think they’re a state,” Rice added.