MOSCOW, November 23 (Sputnik) — Abkhazia's President Raul Hajimba will visit Russia Monday to meet with President Vladimir Putin and sign a deal on strategic cooperation and integration, Kremlin's press service announced Sunday.
"President of Abkhazia Raul Hajimba will visit Russia on November 24 at the invitation of President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin… It is planned to sign an agreement on integration and strategic partnership between the Russian Federation and the Republic of Abkhazia," the press service stated.
The agreement envisages close cooperation in foreign policy, security, defense, as well as the creation of a common economic space.
On August 26, Abkhazia's then-newly elected President Raul Hajimba said that a major new bilateral agreement with Russia could be inked by the end of 2014.
In October, the parliament of Abkhazia began considering the cooperation and integration agreement with Russia. Georgia fiercely opposed the deal, labeling it as Moscow's attempt to annex Abkhazia, which Georgia considers to be part of its territory under Russian occupation.
Abkhazia broke away from Georgia following an ethnically tinged war in 1992-1993. In response to Russia’s decision to recognize the independence of Abkhazia and South Ossetia following the 2008 armed conflict with Georgia, the latter severed diplomatic relations with Moscow and declared the two Caucasian republics occupied territories.
