President of Abkhazia Aslan BzhaniyaSUKHUM, Mar 31Sukhum welcomes the desire of the people of South Ossetia to reunite with North Ossetia within the framework of the Russian Federation, Abkhazia itself is building and will continue to build relations with fraternal Russia, Abkhazian leader Aslan Bzhania said on Thursday after the announcement of his South Ossetian counterpart Anatoly Bibilov about plans to take legal steps to join the Russian Federation. Bibilov said Wednesday that the republic would soon take legal steps to become part of Russia. Bibilov noted that the opportunity to realize this «strategic goal» was back in 2014, when Crimea was reunited with the Russian Federation following a referendum. Later that day, he said that the republic should «without delay» organize a nationwide vote on this issue. «We welcome the desire of the people of South Ossetia to reunite with North Ossetia within the framework of the Russian state. We are confident that this step fully meets interests and South Ossetians,» Bzhaniya said. As for the position of the leadership of Abkhazia in this context, Bzhaniya said that «sovereign independent Abkhazia is building and will continue to build relations with fraternal allied Russia in strict accordance with the Treaty of November 24, 2014.» He clarified that the following positions are fixed in the agreement: conducting a coordinated foreign policy, creating a common space for defense and security, forming a common social and economic space, promoting the socio-economic development of Abkhazia, creating conditions for the full participation of the republic in the integration processes in the post-Soviet space, implemented according to initiatives e and with the assistance of the Russian Federation. Moscow recognized the independence of South Ossetia, and with it another former Georgian autonomy, Abkhazia, on August 26, 2008. Earlier that month, Russia came to the defense of South Ossetia from the Georgian army, which sought to return it to Tbilisi's rule. Since then, the Russian leadership has repeatedly stated that the recognition of both republics reflects the prevailing realities and is not subject to revision. Donbass
