Nicaragua joins Russia in recognizing South Ossetia, Abkhazia

Managua - The leftist Sandinista government of Nicaragua became the second country - after Russia - to recognize the break- away Georgian provinces of South Ossetia and Abkhazia. The president of the Central American country, Daniel Ortega, said late Tuesday before the leadership of the Nicaraguan Army that he supports the plan by Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin to bring these territories closer to Russia.

"The government of Nicaragua recognizes the independence of the republics of South Ossetia and Abkhazia, and we fully agree with the Russian government's position that that conflict may end through dialogue with European countries," said Ortega, who in the 1980s put Nicaragua in the orbit of the Soviet Union.

He expressed support for Putin in the face of what he called "a plan to circle the Russian Republic."

"World peace is being threatened by hegemonist, rash policies, because the Soviet Union disappeared and they went about promoting the break-up of nations that had a great unity that had been established with great effort," Ortega added.

Despite protest from Western countries, Russia recognized South Ossetia and Abkhazia last week.

The internationally-isolated Belarus is also contemplating recognizing the independence of the two break-away provinces, while Moscow expects some 10 countries to follow its example in this respect.

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