Abkhaz prime minister Aleksander Ankvab told Regnum news agency that the independence of Abkhazia will not be traded in for the economic opportunities and international assistance. In the interview, Ankvab criticized western diplomats and said Abkhazia finds "far better understanding" of its claims in Russia.

"Representatives of western diplomatic circles, sorry for rough language, always rub it in our face [that Abkhazia is not internationally recognized], but they can not take away our natural right to being independent and free. We are not asking to enter anything and don't go around begging - we do not need a banana they can offer. If they want to speak in a dignified manner, we are ready to respond, but to try with economic promises to return us somewhere [i.e. Georgia] - there is a will of the people and it will not change," Ankvab said.

"We see no linkage between our political aims and an opportunity for receiving [foreign] loans," he added.

Ankvab has lead the Abkhaz political movement "Aitaira" since 2000. Previously, he was a high-ranking Communist Party official in Georgian Soviet Socialist Republic (SSR):  in 1981-1983 he served as administrative instructor in the Central Committee of the Georgian Communist party, and later as the deputy Interior Minister for political issues of the Georgian SSR in 1984-1990.