The tiny Pacific island of Nauru recognized Abkhazia by establishing diplomatic ties with Sokhumi on December 15, the Russian and Abkhaz news agencies reported.

The agreement on establishing diplomatic relations was signed in Sokhumi by Foreign Minister of Nauru, Kieren Keke and the breakaway region’s Foreign Minister Sergey Shamba.

“It does not matter how many people live in a country with which Abkhazia established diplomatic relations. Nauru is UN member and we are signing this agreement, which actually is about recognition,” Sergey Bagapsh, the Abkhaz leader, said.

Before arriving in Sokhumi on December 14, Nauru’s Foreign Minister visited breakaway South Ossetian capital, Tskhinvali.

Russian daily Kommersant reported that before visiting the breakaway regions, Nauru’s Foreign Minster held talks in Moscow with his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov.

The newspaper also reported that Moscow pledged financial assistance to Nauru in exchange of recognition of two breakaway regions. According to the same report Nauru requested USD 50 million aid.

Nauru, which is the world's smallest island nation, is the forth country after Russia, Nicaragua and Venezuela, to recognize Abkhazia’s independence.