OREANDA-NEWS. March 05, 2010. Dmitry Medvedev congratulated Sergei Bagapsh on his birthday. The two leaders expressed their satisfaction at the close and trusting nature of their contacts and the steady development of the friendly bilateral interstate ties, a landmark moment in which was the recent official visit of the President of Abkhazia to Russia.

President Medvedev pointed out that today is marked by mourning the news of the passing of the first President of Abkhazia, Vladislav Ardzinba. Dmitry Medvedev expressed his sincere and heartfelt condolences to Sergei Bagapsh and the people of Abkhazia.