Azernews.Az

By Nazrin Gadimova

The Georgian authorities have no illusions that Russia will slow down its activities aimed at the recognition of the breakaway regions, Georgia's First Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Davit Zalkaliani said.

He was commenting on the statement of the leader of the Tskhinvali separatist regime Leonid Tibilov about an active work on international recognition of the occupied region in various countries. At the same time, he noted that Belarus can become one of these countries.

"All this time Russia has been active and continues its attempts to gain support in different countries," Zalkaliani said. "We have no illusions that the Russian Federation will slow down its efforts in this direction, but we will oppose them through the international law and through the support, which we have in the international arena," Zalkaliani said.

Abkhazia and South Ossetia celebrate the day of recognition of their independence by Russia on August 26.

Georgia and Russia, its giant northern neighbor, have maintained no diplomatic relations since a brief war in 2008. Tbilisi broke off relations with Moscow in August 2008 when Moscow crushed a Georgian assault to reassert control over two rebel regions -- South Ossetia and Abkhazia -- and later recognized the regions. Georgia announced the two unrecognized republics as occupied territories in September 2008.