21 May 2013

Vanuatu's PM tells of strong opposition to Abkhazian ties

1:48 pm on 21 May 2013

Vanuatu's Prime Minister Moana Carcasses Kalosil has told Georgia's president he was strongly opposed to Vanuatu's recognition of Abkhazia.

At a meeting between the two leaders on Monday, the president, Mikheil Saakashvili thanked Vanuatu for deciding to reverse its decision and establish ties with Georgia.

Mr Carcasses told the president he had raised his concern about links with the breakway region when he was Finance Minister in the previous government and the issue had come up for review.

He said Vanuatu's Council of Ministers was very divided over the decision to recognise Abkhazia and he wanted to have it put on record how opposed he was to links with the Russian-backed region.

Mr Saakashvili described Vanuatu's reversal of the decision as historic.