Syria’s recognition of Abkhazia and South Ossetia “is not a complete surprise to us, simply because Bashar al-Assad is propped-up by the Russian regime,” the U.S. State Department’s Spokesperson Heather Nauert said in a press briefing on May 29.
“The Russian-occupied regions of South Ossetia and Abkhazia are integral parts of Georgia, and we continue to support Georgia’s sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity within its internationally recognized borders,” she added.
