Venezuelan leader Hugo Chavez on Thursday recognised the pro-Russian rebel regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia as independent states, a rare boost to the Kremlin's campaign for their international acceptance. Chavez told Russian President Dmitry Medvedev that Venezuela would consider the two regions, which most of the rest of the world views as part of Georgia, as sovereign states from today.
"Venezuela from today is joining in the recognition of the independence of South Ossetia and Abkhazia," Chavez told Medvedev through a translator at the Russian president's official residence at Barvikha, outside Moscow. "We soon will begin actions to establish diplomatic relations with these countries," Chavez added. "Thank you, Hugo", said Medvedev. "Russia has always supported a country's sovereign right to recognise or not recognise a state's independence. But of course we are not indifferent to the fate of these two states. We are very grateful," he said.
Russia recognised the two regions as independent in August 2008 after a crushing a Georgian attempt to retake the breakaway province of South Ossetia, which split from Tbilisi's rule in the early 1990s and has run its own affairs ever since.
The West condemned Moscow's recognition of the regions and until Thursday, Nicaragua was the only country apart from Russia to declare the enclaves sovereign states. Moscow's allies in the former Soviet Union, fearful of setting precedents which could threaten their own sovereignty, have so far resisted pressure to follow suit and recognise Abkhazia and South Ossetia.
Georgia, backed by the European Union and the United States, has condemned the Russian-sponsored moves as illegal and has called for its full territorial integrity to be respected.
Both regions, which broke away from Georgian rule in wars in the early 1990s, depend on Russia for their defences and most of the people in both areas have Russian passports. Chavez arrived in Moscow on Wednesday night for a visit that the Kremlin said will focus on major energy and military agreements. He will hold talks with Prime Minister Vladimir Putin later on Thursday.