The confrontation between Russia and Turkey had never benefited our people.

The murder of the Russian military as a result of Turkish Air Force attack in the skies over Syria on November 24, 2015, was the beginning of the development of regional tension, which has never happened before. The former friends and partners with a trade turnover of over 40 billion Dollars per year became enemies in one day.

This is definitely a challenge for Abkhazia, not only economic, but also political. Development of relations with the Diaspora has always been one of the State priorities of Abkhazia. Another important direction of ​​work with the Diaspora is to promote the development of friendly relations between Russia and Turkey. We remember from the history, that the confrontation between these states had never benefited our people.

Only through friendship and cooperation between Russia and Turkey, it is possible to maintain stability in the region. There are forces in the world that are not interested in this stability.

More than 20 years of work Abkhaz diaspora, community and businesses ran close together and parallel to the foreign policy of the state. Our friendship was based on transparency and openness. Our actions not only in Turkey but also in other countries of the world never went against the interests of Abkhazia and Russia, not only because of our friendly relations with Russia, but on the basis of our agreements. We are allies and strategic partners, but it does not exclude the possibility to develop relations with other countries.

Cooperation with Turkey - it is not an alternative policy. Friendship with Russia - this is not an iron curtain.

There were positive and negative periods in the relations between our countries.

We experienced the Yeltsin times, when the blockade from the side of the CIS countries was aimed to return Abkhazia to Georgia, when because of the sanctions every citizen of Abkhazia was literally surviving. Men could not travel outside of Abkhazia, and there was no financial assistance.

 Vladislav Ardzinba-the First President of the Republic of Abkhazia, in the conditions of the blockade, was protecting the interests of Abkhazia and then we became a state and were able to survive on our own.

We didn’t only protect ourselves, but also were protecting the southern borders of Russia from NATO forces.

We have not been subject to so-called "Turkish influence," despite the fact that the only access to the outside world was through Turkey. We were able to survive, partly, through trade with Turkey, which was developing over the years through representatives of our Diaspora, and the authorities of Abkhazia considered unofficial relations as a balance in our country.

Our people in Abkhazia and Turkey will keep forever grateful to Russia for its support in 2008.

I believe that the closure of the powerful trade turnover between Russia and Turkey, and the possible sanctions from Abkhazia against Turkey, will not pass unnoticed for Abkhazia. This will undoubtedly have an impact on Abkhazia and will cause shortage of goods, which we cannot replace with national resources. There will be rise in prices of many products.

The development of relations with Turkey is not just a purchase and sale; it is a great investment in the coal mining, fishing industry (about 50 mln. US Dollars), which is annually increasing and provides an income to the budget of Abkhazia. Wood-working enterprises distribute products to Turkey. There are more than 20 million Dollars of investments to the agricultural sector. There are more than 150 companies that work for export and import in Abkhazia.

However, any economy will not replace the human relationships. Turkey - is not only an economic partner - hundreds of thousands of our compatriots live there. But the uniqueness of our Diaspora is that, despite the fact that they live in another country, they understand and accept the direction of the foreign policy of their historic homeland, they do not act against the interests of Abkhazia and Russia.

I can state with full responsibility that this position of the diaspora - is the result of our work. Diaspora is an integral part of Abkhazia. We should not divide our people for political, geographic or other characteristics. I consider that the development and strengthening of relations with the Diaspora - is our future and the guarantee of our statehood and independence.

And against the backdrop of tensions between Russia and Turkey, I would suggest that all political and social forces of Abkhazia should direct their actions to support the Diaspora and to improve relations between Russia and Turkey, which will help ordinary people, as before, to trade and visit each other without visas and barriers.