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Abkhazia–Turkey relations

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Abkhazia–Turkey relations
Map indicating locations of Abkhazia and Turkey

Abkhazia
Turkey

Relations between Abkhazia and Turkey have not been not officially established. Although Turkey has not recognized Abkhazia's independence and regards it as de jure part of Georgia, the two governments reportedly have secret ties.[1]

History

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On 22 September 1996, Turkey announced that residents of Abkhazia would no longer be allowed to travel to Turkey on Soviet-era identification documents, and would instead have to obtain Georgian passports.[2]

In July 2009, Abkhazian Foreign Minister Sergei Shamba said that the Abkhazian government has certain contacts with the government of Turkey; negotiations on resumption of air and sea communication are being held.[3]

Officially, the Turkish government did not want to antagonize its neighbor and important trading partner Georgia. It is also why Turkey allegedly maintained a strict trade embargo on Abkhazia.[1] In 2009, several Turkish ships heading to Abkhazia have been seized by Georgian naval forces in international waters due to the Georgian sea blockade of Abkhazia.[1]

There is a large Abkhaz diaspora consisting of the descendants of the Abkhaz who fled or were expelled from Abkhazia in the 19th century.[4]

Bilateral contacts

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In 1994, Abkhazia established the post of a plenipotentiary representative of the Republic of Abkhazia in the Turkish Republic.[5]

In September 2009, the Foreign Ministry Deputy Undersecretary Ünal Çeviköz went to the Abkhaz capital of Sukhum, where he met with Abkhaz officials. This was the first visit to Abkhazia of a foreign national diplomat since the August 2008 war.[6]

The importance of the Turkish factor in Abkhaz policy was demonstrated by the first visit by President Bagapsh to Ankara in April 2011.[7]

Turkey's ambassador to Georgia, Murat Buhran, stated in 2014 that Turkey and Abkhazia had established a special group to deepen “bilateral” ties.[8]

In 2021, Abkhazia appointed a new Plenipotentiary Representative of Abkhazia in Turkey. Ibrakhim Avidzba previously worked for the State Security Service of Abkhazia.[9]

Trade

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Today, Turkey is Abkhazia's second-most important trade partner with about 18 percent of Abkhazia's trade turnover.[8]

In 2016, Abkhazia joined sanctions imposed by Russia on Turkey.[10][11]

In 2020, the Turkish banks Ziraat Bank and İşbank began servicing the Abkhaz credit card system APRA.[12][13] The Georgian foreign ministry responded by stating that the Abkhaz APRA cards are regular Russian Mir cards.[14]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c Barçin Yinanç (3 September 2009). "Turkey squeezed once again between Georgia, Abkhazia". hurriyetdailynews.com. Archived from the original on 25 January 2013.
  2. ^ "ABKHAZIAN ACCESS TO TURKEY CURBED". The Jamestown Foundation. 24 September 1996. Archived from the original on 2019-05-11.
  3. ^ "Shamba: Abkhazia establishes relations with Turkey". Georgia Times. 2009-06-11. Archived from the original on 29 May 2012.
  4. ^ German, Tracey (2016). Regional Cooperation in the South Caucasus: Good Neighbours or Distant Relatives?. Routledge. p. 110. ISBN 9781317069133.
  5. ^ "Vladimir Avidzba: I didn't feel like a stranger in Turkey even for a second". Abaza. 2. 25 June 2019.
  6. ^ Hasan Kanbolat (17 September 2009). "Turkey-Abkhazia relations after Çeviköz". abkhazworld.com. Archived from the original on 12 December 2016.
  7. ^ Thomas Frear: The foreign policy options of a small unrecognised state: the case of Abkhazia, in: Caucasus Survey, Vol. 1 (2014), No. 2, pp. 83–107 (here: p: 93).
  8. ^ a b Vasili Rukhadze (1 October 2015). "Defying Georgia, Turkey Gradually Cultivates its Influence in Separatist Abkhazia". jamestown.org. Archived from the original on 12 December 2016.
  9. ^ "Plenipotentiary of Abkhazia to Turkey appointed". abkhazworld.com. 18 March 2021.
  10. ^ "Sokhumi Publishes List of Sanctions Against Turkey". Civil Georgia. 19 January 2016. Archived from the original on 2016-03-26. Retrieved 11 March 2018.
  11. ^ Andrea, Weiss; Yana, Zabanova (December 2016). "Georgia and Abkhazia caught between Turkey and Russia: Turkey's changing relations with Russia and the West in 2015–2016 and their impact on Georgia and Abkhazia" (PDF). German Institute for International and Security Affairs (Science and Politics Foundation). Archived (PDF) from the original on 2018-07-18.
  12. ^ "The Largest Banks of Turkey Started to Serving The National Cards of Apra 'World'". Abkhaz World. 21 December 2020. Retrieved 22 December 2020.
  13. ^ "Крупнейшие банки Турции начали обслуживать национальные карты АПРА "World"". Abkhaz National Bank. 21 December 2020. Retrieved 22 December 2020.
  14. ^ "Georgian FM responds to claims of de facto Abkhazia that two Turkish banks started servicing their cards". Agenda.ge. 22 December 2020. Retrieved 23 December 2020.
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