Karabakh president congratulates newly-elected president of Abkhazia

YEREVAN, August 26. / ARKA /. Nagorno-Karabakh Republic (NKR)
president Bako Sahakyan sent a congratulatory message today to Raul
Khadjimba, the newly elected president of Abkhazia, conveying his and
the people of Karabakh congratulations in connection with Khajimba’s
election.

“You are known as an experienced statesman who has had a substantial
contribution to the formation of the independent Abkhazian statehood.
I am confident that under Your leadership the Republic of Abkhazia
will develop and get stronger on a steady basis,’ the message runs, in
particular.

“Nagorno-Karabakh attaches great importance to strengthening ties with
Abkhazia and we hope that during Your presidency the relations between
our countries will come to a qualitatively new level.
Please, accept once again my heartfelt congratulations on being
elected to this high and responsible post. I wish You good luck and
successes in all Your undertakings directed to secure peace and
prosperity for the fraternal Abkhazia.”

Veteran opposition politician Raul Khajimba has been elected de facto
president of the largely unrecognized Republic of Abkhazia by the
slenderest of margins — just 559 votes. He received 50.56 percent
(50,494 votes) of the total 99, 869 ballots cast, defeating three
rival candidates.

Voter turnout in the early election, necessitated by the resignation
on June 1 of President Aleksandr Ankvab was around 70 percent of the
region’s estimated 130,000 registered voters. -0-

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress