Moscow/Sukhum – Russian President Vladimir Putin, who has withheld so far his positive response to calls of recognition from Abkhazia and South Ossetia, even supported by the Duma itself too, wrote a letter of security warrant to the leaders of Abkhazia and South Ossetia.
Both republics of Abkhazia and South Ossetia are disappointed that Moscow, the administrative capital of Russia, has not signaled willingness for its future recognition of them in retaliation for Kosovo. Putin, however, wrote to the leaders of both countries a letter in which he said that he was not indifferent to trouble facing Abkhazia and South Ossetia, whose populations are comprised of largely Russians.
"It is not possible that Moscow cannot be aware of the tactics employed by the administration of Georgia to damage regional stability and its use of force and threats," Putin wrote in his letter, Russian Foreign Ministry officials said. "Pressuring Abkhazia and South Ossetia either politically, or economically or especially militarily will be futile and damaging," it read in Putin’s letter. This letter appears to be the way in which Putin has responded to an application to his administration by leaders of Abkhazia and South Ossetia, Sergei Bagapsh and Eduard Kokoiti, for their recognition. However, Putin stressed that Russia’s support to the two countries would from now on be clear and concrete. Putin also wrote that his administration’s cooperation with Abkhazia and South Ossetia would grow so as to secure peace and stability in the best interests of the two countries. Bagapsh told RIA Novosti that he and his South Ossetian counterpart viewed Putin’s letter as a security warrant for their republics. (Agency Caucasus)
