SUKHUMI. June 25 (Interfax) - Abkhaz Defense Minister Mirab Kishmaria said he would run in the presidential elections.
"Since the guard is asking, I answer - yes," Kishmaria told Interfax on the telephone on Wednesday.
Sayid Lolua, who graduated from the Moscow State University of Foreign Affairs, will run as well, Kishmaria said.
As to the ties between Abkhazia and Russia, "the relations with Russia are sacred for us," Kishmaria said.
The Abkhaz Central Election Committee has registered an initiative group nominating General Kishmaria as a candidate, the Central Election Committee told Interfax earlier on Wednesday.
The registration of parties and initiative groups started on June 25 and will last until July 14.
Kishmaria was born in 1961, in 1984 he graduated from the Almaty supreme military school named after Marshall Konev. He did officer service in the 58th infantry division of the Turkestan Military District.
In 1987 to 1989 Kishmaria served in the 40th army of Soviet troops in Afghanistan as regiment commander and infantry battalion deputy commander.
During the Georgian-Abkhaz war of 1992-1993 he headed the staff and was Eastern front commander. During military merits during the armed conflict with Georgia he was given the title of Hero of Abkhazia.
In early 2000 Kishmaria was deputy defense minister for military training and military commissar. He is Abkhaz defense minister since 2007.
The early presidential elections will take place in Abkhazia on August 24. The early elections were scheduled over the resignation of Alexander Ankvab upon the opposition demand. The parliament appointed People's Assembly Speaker Valery Bganba to carry out the presidential duties until new president is elected.