NATO does not recognize “the so called election” in the Georgian region of Abkhazia, James Appathurai, NATO Secretary General’s Special Representative for the Caucasus and Central Asia, said on March 14.

“This election does not contribute to a lasting settlement of the situation in Georgia,” he said.

The NATO official added that the Allies do not recognize Abkhazia and South Ossetia as independent states and reiterated the Alliance’s “full support” for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Georgia within its internationally recognized borders.

The March 12 Parliamentary Polls in Abkhazia have already been denounced by Tbilisi and Baku, on March 12 and March 13, respectively.