Georgia to Court South America in Bid to Halt Rebel Recognition

By Helena Bedwell

April 19 (Bloomberg) — Georgia plans to cultivate support in South America in an attempt to prevent more countries from recognizing the independence of two separatist Georgian regions, Abkhazia and South Ossetia.

Russia first recognized the regions after routing Georgia’s army in an August 2008 war over South Ossetia, a move condemned by the U.S. and many European countries. Three other countries – – Nicaragua, Venezuela and the Pacific island nation of Nauru — have followed suit. Georgia maintains that Russia occupied the regions after the conflict.

“Georgia expects to improve diplomatic relations with Latin American countries like Ecuador and Bolivia” when officials travel to the region next month, Deputy Foreign Minister Davit Jalaghania told reporters in the capital Tbilisi today. “Russia must stop buying recognition of the regions once and for all.”

President Dmitry Medvedev has said many times that Russia won’t try to force countries to recognize Abkhazia and South Ossetia.

Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Nalbandov will hold talks with officials in Ecuador and Bolivia, Jalaghania said.

–Editor: Patrick G. Henry

To contact the reporter on this story: Helena Bedwell in Tbilisi at hbedwell@bloomberg.net