AGREEMENT  on Friendship and Cooperation Between the Republic of Abkhazia and the

Republic of Kabardino-Balkharia

The Republic of Abkhazia and the Republic of Kabardino-Balkharia, hereinafter referred as “sides”,

Striving for the development of their statehood,

Being aware that further development of friendship and mutual beneficial cooperation serve to the best interests of their people

Decided to conclude this Agreement on friendship and cooperation and

agreed upon the following:

Article 1

The Sides will develop their relations based on the principles of equality, non-interference in internal affairs, mutual respect and cooperation.

Article 2

The Sides  will cooperate to maintain the peace and stability in the Caucasus.  They will exert their efforts to the peaceful settlement of conflicts and critical situations that jeopardize the interests of the Sides.

With this purpose the Sides will hold consultation on the problems of mutual interest on the regular basis.

Article 6

The Sides will assist each other in legal issues, including criminal, civil and family affairs…

The sides will cooperate in the issues related to the security of transit movement of their citizens, vehicles and cargoes through their respective territories.

Article 8

In order to secure the realization of this Agreement the Sides consider necessary to establish representation offices in the cities of Nalchik and Sukhum of the Republic of Kabardino-Balkaria and the Republic of Abkhazia accordingly.

(…)

Article 9

This agreement is concluded for five-year term…

(…)

This Agreement comes into force the day it is signed.

Done in the city Sukhum on 19 May 1995 in two copies in Abkhaz, Kabardino-Balkhar and Russian languages

For the Republic of Abkhazia the Chairman of the Parliament V. G. Ardzinba

For the Republic of Kabardino-Balkharia President V. Kokov

19 May 1995

(Newspaper “Respublika Abkhazia”, # 4 0, 24-26 May 1995)