Russia Moves Toward Recognition Of Georgian Breakaway Regions
MOSCOW (AFP)--Moscow moved closer Wednesday to recognizing the independence of Georgian separatist regions, escalating a bruising international row over Russia's assault on the ex-Soviet republic.
In Abkhazia, a strategically placed Black Sea province, the separatist parliament and president issued an appeal asking Russia to recognize their independence.
The leader of South Ossetia, Eduard Kokoity, told Interfax news agency that his separatist region would issue a similar appeal soon.
The deputy speaker of the Russian parliament's upper house, the Federation Council, announced an emergency session Monday to debate recognizing Abkhazia and also South Ossetia - both under control of Russian troops since last week.
"The Federation Council is ready to recognize the independent status of South Ossetia and Abkhazia if that is what the people of these republics want," Interfax news agency quoted council speaker Sergei Mironov as saying.
Recognition by Moscow of the two regions would deal pro-Western Georgia a huge blow, dramatically deepening a diplomatic crisis caused by Russia's huge military incursion.
Russian troops poured into Georgia on August 8 to repel an attempt by Georgian forces to retake control of South Ossetia. They subsequently occupied swathes of Georgia.
President Dmitry Medvedev has promised to complete a withdrawal, as agreed in a French-brokered plan, by the weekend.
However there was no evidence Wednesday of a significant pullout, AFP reporters in Georgia and in South Ossetia said.
South Ossetia and Abkhazia broke from Georgia during fighting in the early 1990s and tens of thousands of ethnic Georgians were expelled from their homes.
Russia has supported both regions for years, but not recognized their independence claims, partly in fear of sparking similar movements in Chechnya and other parts of its multi-ethnic North Caucasus region.
Moscow was infuriated by the Western push to make the Serb province of Kosovo an independent country, regardless of Serbia's objections, and analysts say the Kremlin might use the Georgian separatist problem to strike back.
Mironov said only Medvedev could take a final decision. Medvedev says Russia would "unambiguously" back any decision made by the people of Abkhazia and South Ossetia.
Georgia, supported by the U.S. and leading E.U. countries, says it will refuse to accept violations of its territorial integrity.
However, the Russian military's entry into Georgia and quick defeat of the republic's tiny army has left Moscow largely in control.
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