Abkhaz leader, Alexander Ankvab, appointed Vyacheslav Chirikba as the breakaway region’s new foreign minister, replacing Maxim Gvinjia, Abkhaz news agency, Apsnipress, reported on October 11.

Vyacheslav Chirikba has served as a foreign policy advisor to late Abkhaz leader Sergey Bagapsh and was Abkhaz negotiator at the Geneva talks.

Also on October 11 Ankvab re-appointed Merab Kishmaria on the post of defense minister; he has held this position since 2007. Rauf Tsimtsba, minister in charge of taxes, has also retained his post.

A day after inauguration, new Abkhaz leader Alexander Ankvab appointed on September 27 Leonid Lakerbaia as prime minister of the breakaway region, replacing Sergey Shamba who was a runner up in the last month’s snap presidential election. The move followed by resignations from other ministers in the breakaway region’s cabinet; but they continue to perform duties before new PM nominates candidates for the ministerial posts.