The presidents of Abkhazia and Russia signed a deal Wednesday allowing a Russian military base in the breakaway Georgian region for 50 years, despite fierce criticism from Georgia and Western nations, RIA Novosti news service reports Wednesday.
The deal was signed during Kremlin talks between President Dmitry Medvedev and his Abkhazian counterpart, Sergei Bagapsh, who arrived in Moscow Tuesday on the first visit since his re-election as president of the tiny region on the Black Sea.
According to the agreement, the base will "protect Abkhazia's sovereignty and security, including against international terrorist groups," RIA reported.
Moscow recognized Abkhazia's independence in August 2008 after a five-day war with Georgia over another breakaway region, South Ossetia. Only a handful of countries have followed Moscow's lead in recognizing the two regions as independent, most of the world considers them part of Georgia.