US Condemns Treaty Between Russia, Abkhazia: State Department

WASHINGTON, November 25 (Sputnik) – The United States will not recognize a military and economic treaty between Russia and Abkhazia amid US concerns the Black Sea republic is falling further under the control of Russia, the State Department said in its statement on Monday.

"The United States will not recognize the legitimacy of any so-called 'treaty' between Georgia's Abkhazia region and the Russian Federation," State Department spokesperson Jeff Rathke said in a statement.

The State Department said Abkhazia and South Ossetia "are integral parts of Georgia" and that the US would "continue to support Georgia's independence, its sovereignty, and its territorial integrity."

The statement came as Russia and Abkhazia, an independent republic that broke away from Georgia, signed a strategic agreement on foreign policy, security, defense and economic cooperation on Monday in Sochi, Russia.

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.

#NATO does not recognise 'treaty' between Abkhazia region of #Georgia and #Russia http://t.co/uSV3GaFJoz pic.twitter.com/VQKcHuviNX

— NATO (@NATO) 25 ноября 2014