The Georgian Foreign Ministry summoned on July 20 the Russian Charge d’Affaires in Georgia to express protest over visit of Moscow Mayor Yuri Luzhkov to Abkhazia, which was not prior agreed with the authorities in Tbilisi.

Mayor of Moscow Yuri Luzhkov said in Sokhumi on July 20 that the Russian capital city’s municipality will “cooperate with the Abkhaz leadership without any hesitation and fear as with an independent state.” Abkhaz leader Sergey Bagapsh and Luzhkov participated in a groundbreaking ceremony of construction of the business-center “Moscow House” on a seaside of Sokhumi after signing a relevant agreement.

“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Georgia underlines that any document signed with the separatist authorities of Abkhazia, Georgia, without agreement of the Georgian Central Authorities are illegitimate, carry no legal force and will be annulled in accordance with the Georgian legislation,” the Foreign Ministry said in a statement.