On February 17, as part of a working visit to the Republic of South Ossetia, Oleg Bartsits, Foreign Minister met with Alan Gagloev, President of the Republic of South Ossetia.

Also participating in the meeting from the Abkhaz side were Odissey Bigvava, Deputy Foreign Minister, Alan Elbakiyev, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Abkhazia to the Republic of South Ossetia and Dzhemal Bganba, Head of the Department of Strategic Cooperation of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Akhsar Dzhioev, Acting Foreign Minister of South Ossetia participated in the meeting from the South Ossetian side.

Oleg Bartsits, Foreign Minister of the Republic of Abkhazia thanked Alan Gagloev, President for the warm welcome and conveyed best wishes from Badra Gunba, President of the Republic of Abkhazia.

During the meeting, the parties discussed current issues on the agenda of the Abkhaz-South Ossetian relations. By decree of the President of the Republic of South Ossetia, Oleg Bartsits, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Abkhazia was awarded the Order of Friendship for his services in strengthening of relations between the peoples of the Republic of South Ossetia and the Republic of Abkhazia.

Odyssey Bigvava and Dzhemal Bganba were awarded medals "In Commemoration of the 35-th Anniversary of the Republic of South Ossetia."