Syria’s recognition of Abkhazia and South Ossetia “is not a complete surprise to us, simply because Bashar al-Assad is propped-up by the Russian regime,” the U.S. State Department’s Spokesperson Heather Nauert said in a press briefing on May 29. Responding to the question of Rustavi 2 TV, Nauert said the Assad regime’s decision was “ill-advised,” and would not “change the reality or our position on the matter.” “The Russian-occupied regions of South Ossetia and Abkhazia are integral parts of Georgia, and we continue to support Georgia’s sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity within its internationally recognized borders,” she added. Syria announced its decision to establish diplomatic relations with Abkhazia and South Ossetia earlier today, making it the fifth United Nations member state to have recognized the two regions’ independence from Georgia. Tbilisi has responded with the severance of diplomatic relations with Damascus. Source: civil.ge