“Georgia cannot sign an agreement with Abkhazia or South Ossetia because doing so would imply recognition of the two entities as states.”

The claim made by Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze aligns with the official policy of the Georgian government regarding the breakaway regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia. Since the 2008 war, Russia has recognized these regions as independent states, a move that Georgia and the vast majority of the international community reject. Georgia classifies these territories as 'occupied' under its 2008 Law on Occupied Territories. Consequently, the Georgian government avoids any formal bilateral agreements with the de facto authorities in Sukhumi and Tskhinvali, as such actions would be interpreted as a de facto recognition of their sovereignty, thereby undermining Georgia's territorial integrity and its non-recognition policy. This position is a cornerstone of Georgian foreign policy, aimed at preventing the normalization of the status quo created by Russian military presence.