SOCHI, September 10 (RIA Novosti) - Abkhazia and South Ossetia plan to create a joint media project, reporting on life in the republics since their independence from Georgia, South Ossetia's information minister said.

A decision to establish the project, to be run by the republics' information ministries, was taken during a roundtable in the Russian Black Sea resort town of Sochi, with the main topic titled "New Geopolitical Landscape in the Great Caucasus".

"We will establish a joint project, in which Abkhazians and Ossetians themselves can speak about their life," Irina Gagloyeva said.

The project will focus on the social and economic development of Abkhazia and South Ossetia.

The provinces were recognized by Russia after a brief war last August to repel Georgia's attack on South Ossetia. So far the only other countries to have recognized their independence are Nicaragua, and as of today, Venezuela.

The South Ossetian minister said Russia recognized the two republics "not because certain politicians wanted this," but because "we ourselves sought independece."

Abkhaz presidential spokesman Kristian Bzhania said: "You have to visit our republics to understand what is happening there."

On Abkhazia's relations with its ally Russia, he said: "There is a huge country near us, which has enormous potential and deep historical, cultural and economic ties with our republics."

Political scientists, historians and journalists from Russia, South Ossetia, Abkhazia, Armenia and Azerbaijan took part in the roundtable, which took place on September 8, and was organized by RIA Novosti.