Georgia’s Ambassador to Turkey Tariel Lebanidze on Monday will pay a visit to the Turkish MFA.

Lebanidze will visit the MFA to receive an explanation for the Turkish MPs’ visit to Abkhazia, which is not under the authority of official Tbilisi, stated David Zalkaliani, First Deputy FM of Georgia.

“We have called Turkey’s ambassador to Georgia to the MFA, from whom we will demand a respective explanation. In addition, our ambassador in Ankara will take appropriate diplomatic steps, and visit the Turkey MFA and demand a corresponding explanation; this will take place today [Monday],” Zalkaliani said at a briefing.

He also noted that Turkey is a partner of Georgia, and that is why the said actions by the Turkish MPs have surprised the Georgian side, Novosti Gruzia reported.

“Turkey recognizes the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Georgia. We know that these MPs represent Turkey’s Sakarya Province, which is inhabited by ethnic Abkhaz. We assume that their interest in Abkhazia was due to that. We expected that this [visit to Abkhazia] would take place after an agreement with the Georgian authorities. This is what we will speak about with the Turkish ambassador, [and] I’m confident that they will give proper clarifications,” added the first deputy FM of Georgia.

A Turkish parliamentary delegation had paid a visit to Sukhumi, Abkhazia, at the end of last week.