Venezuela, Abkhazia to establish diplomatic ties.

CARACAS, September 15 (Itar-Tass) - The deputy foreign ministers of
Venezuela and Abkhazia, Francisco Aria-Cardenas and Maxim Gvindzhiya, met
here on Monday to discuss the establishment of diplomatic relations
between Venezuela and Abkhazia.

Francisco Aria-Cardenas presented a note on Venezuela's recognition of
Abkhazia's independence to Gvindzhiya. The meeting passed in a warm and
friendly atmosphere," Gvindzhiya told Itar-Tass. He noted that an
agreement on establishing diplomatic relations between Abkhazia and
Venezuela would be signed in the next few days
The Abkhazian deputy foreign minister said that the decision of
President Hugo Chavez to recognize the independence of Abkhazia had become
" a very vital step in global terms."
"In fact, Venezuela's decision contributed to establishing stability
in the Caucasian region. This is something what the United States and the
European Union have tried to do for many years but failed," Mr. Gvindzhiya
went on to say.
The conversation with Francisco Aria Cardenas dwelt on political and
economic cooperation. Abkhazia has requested Venezuela to create a
platform for lobbying the recognition of Abkhazia's independence in Latin
America.


.Over 18 tons of salmon confiscated in Petropavlovsk-Kamchatskiy.
15/9 Tass 51

PETROPAVLOVSK-KAMCHATSKY, September 15 (Itar-Tass) - Police have
confiscated 18 tons of illegal salmon fish and more than 1.5 tons of red
caviar in Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, the press service of the Interior
Ministry branch for the Kamchatka territory told Itar-Tass.
The delicatessen products were discovered in three Ural trucks and was
meant for transportation.
Law enforcers have seized more than 45 tons of illegally obtained
salmon caviar and more than 222 tons of fish from poaches as part of a
special operation to illegal fish catches.