TBILISI. May 4 (Interfax) - Georgian Foreign Minister Mikheil Janelidze has welcomed the approval of 2017 budgetary amendments by the U.S. House of Representatives, which prohibit the United States from assisting any country that recognizes the independence of Abkhazia and South Ossetia.
"The U.S. Congress has demonstrated its commitment to Georgia's issues. This is proven by the budgetary amendments," Janelidze told reporters on Thursday.
The amendments "prohibit support to any country, which recognizes the independence of the occupied Georgian territories - Abkhazia and South Ossetia," he said. "In addition, U.S. governmental agencies are prohibited from taking any actions which would support the occupation of these two regions by Russia," the minister said.
The budgetary amendments approved by the House of Representatives are due to be approved by the Senate within days and to be signed by President Donald Trump afterwards, the Georgian media said.
Russia recognized the former Georgian autonomous regions of South Ossetia and Abkhazia as independent territories on August 26, 2008. The decision was made after the five-day Georgian-Russian war: Georgia sent troops to South Ossetia in the small hours of August 8, 2008, and the Russian military stood by the republic.
Nicaragua, Venezuela and the insular states of Nauru, Vanuatu and Tuvalu followed Russia's example and recognized independent Abkhazia and South Ossetia.
The United States refused to recognize independent Abkhazia and South Ossetia and proclaimed support to the territorial independence and sovereignty of Georgia.