Report: Ecuador may recognize Georgian rebel regions

Ecuador may recognize the independence of the rebel Georgian regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia in exchange for Russian arms deals, a Russian newspaper reported on Tuesday.

The announcement is expected during Ecuadoran President Rafael Correa's visit to Moscow this week, the Vedomosti daily wrote, citing a source in the Russian foreign ministry.

Moscow established diplomatic ties with the two regions after its August 2008 war with Georgia, but only Nicaragua and Venezuela have followed Moscow's lead in recognising them as independent states.

Western countries condemned Moscow's recognition of the regions, which Georgia considers to be under Russian occupation.

Ecuador is seeking Russian helicopters, Su-30MK2 fighter jets and air-defense systems worth over 130 million euros, a source in Moscow's state-owned arms export firm Rosoboronexport told Vedomosti. "In response, Moscow is expecting Ecuador's recognition of the independence of South Ossetia and Abkhazia," the newspaper wrote.

"According to a source in the foreign ministry who spoke to Vedomosti, Moscow received an unofficial promise that Ecuador's position will be presented during the upcoming presidential visit," it said. Correa, an ally of Venezuela's firebrand leftist leader Hugo Chavez, is due to meet Russian President Dmitry Medvedev on Thursday.

Chavez announced that Venezuela was recognizing Abkhazia and South Ossetia during a visit to Moscow last month. Days later, Chavez said that Moscow had agreed to loan Caracas 2.2 billion dollars for the purchase of Russian tanks and rocket systems.

Vedomosti also cited officials in the separatist governments of Abkhazia and South Ossetia as saying they were hopeful of recognition from Ecuador and other left-wing Latin American states friendly to Moscow.

"After Nicaragua and Venezuela's recognition of the republics, recognition by other members of the ALBA bloc is only a matter of time," Abkhazia's deputy foreign minister Maxim Gvindzhiya told the newspaper.