Minister for Foreign Affairs of Abkhazia

Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Abkhazia
Incumbent
Viacheslav Chirikba
since 11 October 2011
Appointer President of Abkhazia
Term length no limit
Inaugural holder Said Tarkil
Formation 17 May 1993

The office of Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Abkhazia was created on 17 May 1993, during the 1992-1993 war with Georgia.[1] Due to the diplomatic isolation of Abkhazia, which remains widely unrecognised, the role of the foreign minister has been restricted mostly to negotiations over resolving the Georgian-Abkhazian conflict.

History

Government of President Ardzinba

For more details on this topic, see Government of President Ardzinba.

On 30 April 1997, former Aidgylara Chairman Sergei Shamba was appointed Foreign Minister in stead of Konstantin Ozgan, who had been appointed First Vice Premier, succeeding Sergei Bagapsh, who had been appointed Prime Minister on 29 April.[2][3]

Shamba remained Foreign Minister until he resigned on 15 June 2004 along with First Vice Premier Astamur Tarba (who eventually stayed on) and Security Service Chairman Givi Agrba following the murder of opposition politician Garri Aiba.[4][5] Shamba was temporarily replaced by his deputy Gueorgui Otyrba on 18 July, and permanently by Abkhazia's representative in Moscow Igor Akhba on 28 July.[1][6] On 14 December 2004, following the Tangerine Revolution but while Vladislav Ardzinba was still President, he re-arranged the cabinet. Sergei Shamba was re-appointed Minister for Foreign Affairs and additionally became Vice-Premier.[7][8]

Government of President Bagapsh

For more details on this topic, see Government of President Bagapsh.

After the election of Sergei Bagapsh as President, Foreign Minister Sergei Shamba was one of the few Ministers to be re-appointed, on 26 March 2005.[9]

Following the re-election of Bagapsh, Shamba was appointed Prime Minister (as outgoing Prime Minister Alexander Ankvab had been elected Vice President), he was succeeded by his deputy Maxim Gvinjia on 26 February.[10]

Government of President Ankvab

For more details on this topic, see Government of President Ankvab.

After the election of Alexander Ankvab, he appointed diplomat and academic Viacheslav Chirikba as Foreign Minister On 11 October.[11]

Government of President Khajimba

For more details on this topic, see Government of President Khajimba.

Chirikba was only one of three Cabinet members (the others being Defence Minister Mirab Kishmaria and Emergency Affairs Minister Lev Kvitsinia) to be re-appointed (on 17 October 2014) following the May 2014 Revolution and the subsequent election of Raul Khajimba as President.[12]

List of people to hold the office

# Name Entered office Left office President Comments
- Said Tarkil 17 May 1993 [1] December 1993 Acting
1 Sokrat Jinjolia December 1993 [1] November 1994 [1]
2 Leonid Lakerbaia 29 June 1995 [1] 31 July 1996 Vladislav Ardzinba
3 Konstantin Ozgan 31 July 1996 [1] 30 April 1997
4 Sergei Shamba 30 April 1997 [2] 18 June 2004 First time
- Gueorgui Otyrba 18 June 2004 [1] 28 July 2004 Acting
5 Igor Akhba 28 July 2004 [6] 14 December 2004
6 Sergei Shamba 14 December 2004 [7] 21 March 2005 [13] Second time
21 March 2005 [9] 26 February 2010 Sergei Bagapsh
7 Maxim Gvinjia 26 February 2010 [10] 11 October 2011
8 Viacheslav Chirikba 11 October 2011 [11] 1 June 2014 Alexander Ankvab
1 June 2014 17 October 2014 Valeri Bganba
17 October 2014 [12] Present Raul Khajimba

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 "Предыдущие Министры и их Заместители". 2008. Retrieved 20 February 2009.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 The Jamestown Foundation (2 May 1997). "KEY ABKHAZ OFFICES CHANGE HANDS.". Monitor 3 (87). Retrieved 10 January 2012.
  3. ↑ "НЕГА сообщает Россия". Nezavisimaya Gazeta. 30 April 1997. Retrieved 8 January 2012.
  4. ↑ "Key Ministers in de facto Abkhaz Government Resign". Civil Georgia. 15 June 2004. Retrieved 15 April 2011.
  5. ↑ Kuchuberia, Anzhela (17 June 2004). Премьер-министр Абхазии Рауль Хаджимба опроверг сообщения об отставке ряда высокопоставленных лиц правительства. Caucasian Knot (in Russian). Retrieved 15 April 2011.
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 "Ахба Игорь Муратович". Retrieved 13 December 2008.
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 В Абхазии назначены два вице-премьера правительства. Caucasian Knot (in Russian). 14 December 2004. Retrieved 29 January 2011.
  8. ↑ В Абхазии утверждена структура Кабинета министров. Caucasian Knot (in Russian). 15 December 2005. Retrieved 29 January 2011.
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 "Указ Президента Абхазии №44 от 21.03.2005". Администрация Президента Республики Абхазия. 21 March 2005. Retrieved 17 December 2008.
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 "New Abkhaz FM Appointed". Civil Georgia. 26 February 2010. Retrieved 27 February 2010.
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 "Президент Александр Анкваб подписал указы о назначении министров". Apsnypress. 11 October 2011. Retrieved 30 December 2011.
  12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 "Указами президента назначены министры иностранных дел, юстиции, по чрезвычайным ситуациям и финансов". Apsnypress. 17 October 2014. Retrieved 18 October 2014.
  13. ↑ "Указ Президента Абхазии №1 от 14.02.2005". Администрация Президента Республики Абхазия. 14 February 2005. Retrieved 17 December 2008.