Russia and Georgia Agree to Reopen Major Border Crossing

MOSCOW — Russia and Georgia have agreed to reopen their major border crossing, officials said Thursday, signaling the first thawing of ties between the countries since they went to war last year over a separatist enclave.

The crossing, at the Upper Lars checkpoint in the Caucasus mountains, has been closed since 2006, when relations began growing tense, in part because of efforts by the Georgian president, Mikheil Saakashvili, to align himself more closely with the United States.

Russia also banned imports of Georgian products, including popular wines, and cut air transportation links. In August 2008, war broke out after Georgia tried to retake South Ossetia, a separatist enclave that has close ties to Moscow, and Russian troops responded by invading Georgia.

The countries have not ...

Belarus parliament shelves recognition of S.Ossetia, Abkhazia

©  Сollage by RIA Novosti

The Belarusian parliament will not hold hearings on recognizing the former Georgian republics of Abkhazia and South Ossetia before spring 2010, a senior lawmaker said on Friday.

The two regions formally requested ex-Soviet Belarus to recognize them a year ago, but Minsk has delayed its decision, torn between traditional ally Russia and the EU, which backs Georgia's claim to sovereignty over the republics.

"Today is the last day of the fall session, and the issue of Abkhazia and South Ossetia has not been included in the agenda," said Sergei Maskevich, head of the lower house foreign relations and CIS affairs committee.

Russia recognized the republics in August 2008 after repelling Georgia's assault on South Ossetia in a five-day war. Only Nicaragua, Venezuela and Nauru have followed suit.

Belarus sent members of parliament to the regions and to Georgia in November ...