The following article is taken from The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Abkhazia.

Viacheslav Chirikba noted that the presidential election is an important stage in the history of the country and thanked the guests for coming as observers. He said that for the world community it will be important to learn how elections were held in Abkhazia.

Viacheslav Chirikba expressed willingness to share ideas, to deepen and expand the close friendly bilateral cooperation. Recalling that Abkhazia is the member of the UNPO from August 6, 1991 the Acting Minister emphasized that Abkhazia is one of the most active participants in this process.

Viacheslav Chirikba expressed hope that the two sides can come to decisions that will take collaboration to a new level.

The Acting Minister noted that UNPO has played an important role during the Georgian-Abkhaz war, breaking through the information blockade of Abkhazia. "Against the background of ignorance of the world community of the situation in Abkhazia, the war motives, the UNPO played a big role to inform the public of Europe and the world about the truth in Abkhazia, Abkhaz's true intentions to build their own state," - he said.

He noted that today Abkhazia is challenged to interrupt the isolation policy pursued by some governments in Europe and the United States. He expressed hope that the UNPO can also help in this regard. Viacheslav Chirikba said that now Abkhazia has more friends than before in the European Parliament and talked about plans to open an Abkhazian office in Brussels, which would work closely with the European Parliament, the Council of Europe and other relevant international organizations located in Brussels and Strasbourg.

The Secretary-General of the UNPO Marino Busdachin agreed with the assessment of the current state of affairs. He said that the organization would be happy to break through the existing degree of ignorance of Abkhazia. Marino Busdachin said that he shares the hope of Abkhazia on more intensive cooperation and appreciates the intention of Abkhazia to continue greater actions and in particular with regard to the opening of an office in Brussels.

According to M. Busdachin, the current visit to Abkhazia will be followed by an election monitoring report, which will reflect the objective state of affairs.

MEP Frank Engel said that if a country is partially recognized or not recognized at the international level, it does not mean it does not exist, that its appropriate state agencies are not functioning. He sees the upcoming elections in Abkhazia as an important moment in the democratic development of the country and hoped that the results will block negative episodes that occurred in the past.

Viacheslav Chirikba thanked the guests for their support of the democratic process in Abkhazia, which, according to him, is a part of the European political space. The Foreign Minister and the UNPO signed an agreement providing for the development of further cooperation.