MOSCOW, October 30 (RIA Novosti) - South Ossetia and Abkhazia will officially ask Ecuador to recognize their independence, the former Georgian republics' foreign ministers told RIA Novosti on Friday.

The news followed Ecuadorian President Rafael Correa's promise on Friday to consider the requests should they be submitted. Correa arrived on a three-day visit to Russia on Wednesday.

"South Ossetia will submit an official request. We will be grateful to the leadership of Ecuador and any other country that recognizes our independence," South Ossetian Foreign Minister Murat Dzhioyev said.

"We are working on the issue. Abkhazia has already made certain steps in this direction, and will continue working," Abkhaz Foreign Minister Sergei Shamba said. The ministers did not specify the date.

Russia recognized Abkhazia and South Ossetia as independent republics shortly after a five-day war with Georgia in August 2008 that began when Georgian forces attacked South Ossetia in an attempt to bring it back under central control.

Nicaragua and Venezuela have also recognized the two former Georgian republics.