Russia’s Deputy Foreign Minister, Sergey Karasin, visited Sokhumi on December 19-20, the Russian Foreign Ministry said on Wednesday.

He met with Abkhaz leader Alexander Ankvab; parliamentary speaker Nugzar Ashuba and secretary of national security council Stanislav Lakoba.

“The issues of Russian-Abkhazian bilateral relations, as well as regional and international issues were discussed in the context of strengthening cooperation of the two countries in external relations,” the Russian Foreign Ministry said.

The visit came less than a week after secretary of Russia’s national security council, Nikolai Patrushev, held talks with the Abkhaz leadership in Sokhumi.