A
decision on the recognition of the independence of Abkhazia and South
Ossetia will be made "when everyone is ready for it,” Vital Busko, a
member of the House of Representatives’ Committee on International
Affairs and Relations within the CIS, told reporters in Minsk on Friday.
"This
issue is currently at the stage of consideration,” Mr. Busko noted,
describing the issue as difficult. "It was discussed and our
parliamentarians visited all those countries, including Georgia,” he
said. "And now all materials are being summarized and studied,
including at the foreign ministry.”
He noted that no special
parliamentary session would be called to debate this issue and a
regular spring session would begin on April 2.
"The issue of
the customs union [of Belarus, Kazakhstan and Russia] and the issue of
the conditions on which we will trade with those countries [Abkhazia
and South Ossetia] have nothing to do with the issue of political
recognition,” said Anton Kudasaw, deputy director of the foreign
ministry’s external economic relations department. "The problem of
political recognition is rather widespread in the world, but this does
not impede normal participation in international trade. Our fundamental
approach is: Belarus intends to fully abide by its international
commitments for ensuring access to the Belarusian market, and,
accordingly, access for our goods to the markets of absolutely all
countries and territories, and in the full scope of the commitments
that were made.”
Abkhazia expects Belarus to recognize its
independence and "sees its future in being part of the Union State of
Russia and Belarus,” Sergei Bagapsh, leader of Georgia’s breakaway
region, said in Moscow on Tuesday.
"We are in dialogue with
Belarus and we hope that Belarus, as a country close to us, will
recognize the independence of Abkhazia and South Ossetia, which will
make it easier for us to join the Union State,” RIA Novosti quoted Mr. Bagapsh as saying at a meeting with students.
Abkhazia
also wants to join the customs union of Belarus, Kazakhstan and Russia,
he said, adding that this would be the next step.
