New Abkhaz president to visit Russia

New Abkhaz President Alexander Ankvab will pay an official visit to Russia on October 6, the Kremlin said on Monday. Ankvab was inaugurated as the Abkhaz president on September 26, a month after he won presidential elections, which were triggered by the death of the republic's former leader, Sergei Bagapsh. During the inauguration ceremony, Valentina Matviyenko, the Russian upper house of parliament's speaker, promised to lobby for Abkhaz interests in Russia, adding that Moscow would continue supporting Abkhazia in the international arena and struggle for its recognition as an independent state. On behalf of the Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, Matviyenko invited Ankvab to visit Russia in the near future. Russia officially recognized Abkhazia in 2008, following the five-day war with Georgia over another breakaway republic, South Ossetia, which began when Georgia attacked the republic in an attempt to bring it back under central control. Apart from Russia, only five countries - Nicaragua, Venezuela, as well as tiny Pacific nations of Nauru, Vanuatu and Tuvalu - have recognized Abkhazia so far. Moscow and Sukhumi have signed more than 40 treaties and agreements since August 2008, including in the area of military and security cooperation, and doubled their trade to $225 million this year.