**Russia-Backed South Ossetia and Nicaragua Sign Visa Deal**
On February 27, representatives of the Russian-backed Tskhinvali region (also known as South Ossetia) and Nicaragua met in Moscow. They signed an agreement that allows citizens with diplomatic or official passports to travel between the two countries without a visa.
The meeting was attended by Akhsar Dzhioev, the self-proclaimed “foreign minister” of Tskhinvali, and Alba Asucena Torres Mejía, Nicaragua’s “ambassador” to the region. Others present included Narim Kozaev, a supposed Tskhinvali ambassador to Nicaragua, and Claudio Antonio Arana, Minister-Counsellor of Nicaragua’s Embassy to Russia.
According to the statement released by Tskhinvali’s self-proclaimed “foreign ministry”, the parties discussed ways to strengthen their bilateral relations. They also talked about current international issues.
This deal is significant because Nicaragua was one of the first countries to recognize Abkhazia and South Ossetia as independent states after Russia did so in 2008. The Georgian government and most of the world consider these regions as territories occupied by Russia, not independent countries.
