Russian President, Dmitry Medvedev, paid a brief visit to Sokhumi on August 8, accompanied by Russia's Defense Minister, Anatoly Serdyukov.

Medvedev told Abkhaz leader, Sergey Bagapsh, at a meeting in Sokhumi that his first visit to Abkhazia after the region was recognized by Moscow, "has a special meaning" as it coincided with the second anniversary of the August war.

"Serious events took place two years ago in South Ossetia, which triggered set of political processes, including recognition of Abkhazia and South Ossetia by Russia," Medvedev said.

He said that the decision to recognize the two regions "was not easy, but as time has showed us it was a right" decision.

"Actually existence of people of Abkhazia and South Ossetia was under danger," he said. "Now the situation is calm and I see it when having relations with international partners. It [the situation] is perceived differently: some think this way, others - differently, but anyway there are objective facts and they were laid out Russian, Abkhaz and South Ossetian sides. Then these [facts] were reflected in a report by Heidi Tagliavini [head of EU-funded fact-finding mission, which studied causes of the August war] and in other documents. That's way I think, that the truth is on our side."

He said that Russia was committed to development further political, economic and military cooperation with Sokhumi and Tskhinvali. Medvedev, who toured the seaside in Sokhumi, told Russian tourists there that Moscow would help Abkhazia to restore its airport and air traffic to attract more tourists in the region.