Nicaragua recognizes S.Ossetia, Abkhazia

12:07 | 06/ 09/ 2008

MOSCOW, September 6 (RIA Novosti) – Nicaragua has recognized the
independence of Georgia’s breakaway republics of South Ossetia and
Abkhazia, the Nicaraguan Foreign Ministry said.

Russia recognized South Ossetia and Abkhazia on August 26, two weeks
after it had concluded its operation "to force Georgia to peace." The
operation came in response to an attack by Georgian forces on breakaway
South Ossetia on August 8.

Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega announced on Tuesday during
ceremonies for the 29th anniversary of the founding of the Latin
American state’s army that "Nicaragua recognizes the independence of S.
Ossetia and Abkhazia and fully supports the Russian government’s
position."

Nicaragua has become the first country after Russia to recognize the
two republics as independent states. Both South Ossetia and Abkhazia
broke away from Tbilisi in the early 1990s after bloody conflicts with
Georgia. Russia later granted citizenship to the majority of residents
of the two pro-Russian regions.

Russia has now withdrawn its regular troops from Georgia, but insists
it can maintain checkpoints in security zones near the regions under
the ceasefire deal brokered by France. Moscow has also accused Tbilisi
of building up troops near South Ossetia.

Western nations have strongly criticized Russia for its
"disproportionate" response to Georgia’s attack and the recognition of
Georgia’s breakaway provinces. NATO-Russia cooperation has also been
frozen.

Ortega, who led a Soviet-backed government that battled U.S.-supported
Contra rebels in the late 1980s, sharply criticized the West for
attempting to surround Russia and investing millions of dollars through
NATO to "build a military fence against Russia."