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Abkhazia and South Ossetia may join Belarusian-Russian union, Russian lawmaker says

 

A member of Russia’s State Duma said on Tuesday that Georgia’s breakaway provinces of Abkhazia and South Ossetia might join the Union State of Belarus and Russia.

If Belarus recognizes their independence, the republics may join the Union State, said Aleksei Ostrovsky, chairman of the Russian lower parliamentary house’s standing Committee on CIS Affairs.

“I’m sure that Belarus will become one of the first countries to recognize Abkhazia and South Ossetia,” RIA Novosti quoted him as saying. “In this connection, it would be logical to add Abkhazia and South Ossetia to the union of Russia and Belarus. This would be the first step toward these states’ admission to international organizations and blocs.”

A spokesperson for the Belarusian foreign ministry said on Tuesday that it was unknown whether the ministry would issue an official comment on Russia’s decision to recognize South Ossetia and Abkhazia as independent states. //BelaPAN