The Russia-Belarus Union State is a supranational entity consisting of the Russian Federation and the Republic of Belarus. It was formed in 1996 "with the intention of providing greater political, economic, and social integration."
The delegation includes Vyacheslav Tsugba, the deputy speaker, Guram Gumba, the chairman of the parliamentary foreign affairs committee and Pavel Leshchuk, chairman of the economics committee.
In mid-September Abkhazia and South Ossetia said they planned to apply for membership of the CIS, the Russia-Belarus Union State, and the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO). Russia has traditionally dominated all three of these post-Soviet organizations.
On October 13 the Abkhazian parliament requested that Belarus recognize the country as an independent state.
