Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov speaks to the media.
Photo: AP
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Lavrov Authorized to Clarify
Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov clarified yesterday the standing of Moscow in respect of the peace deal with Georgia. Russia heads for the international recognition of Abkhazia and South Ossetia and insists on excluding Georgian military from peacekeeping forces in the conflict area. It looks like the West will have to bargain implementation of these terms. Moscow will hold no negotiations either with Mikheil Saakashvili or his people.
Georgia’s President Mikheil Saakashvili signed Wednesday night the peace deal that Russia’s President Dmitry Medvedev and French President Nicolas Sarkozy endorsed Tuesday. The wording was different. The changes introduced by Saakashvili crossed out any reference to the international discussions on the future political status of Abkhazia and South Ossetia, laying emphasis on ensuring stability and security in the region.
Sergei Lavrov clarified the standing of Moscow late Wednesday. Lavrov said the provision for ensuring lasting security in South Ossetia and Abkhazia implies that the issue couldn’t be addressed outside the status context. Given the current situation and existence of administrative system there, Moscow will press for changing the status of Abkhazia and South Ossetia.
What’s more, Moscow won’t yield to modifying the format of peacekeeping operations in Georgia. No EU peacekeepers are expected to appear in the region, Lavrov emphasized. The sole drastic change will be the exclusion of Georgian military from peacekeeping contingent.
Georgian peacekeepers, who acted as traitors and started shooting their fellow peacekeepers “will never appear in peacekeeping contingent,” the minister pointed out, adding that Russia’s and Ossetia’s battalions will be reinforced “in view of the experience of Georgia’s companionship.”
www.kommersant.com
All the Article in Russian as of Aug. 14, 2008
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