Agency Caucasus—Four hours of talks between French President Nicolas Sarkozy who acted on behalf of the European Union (EU) and his Russian counterpart Dmitri Medvedev at a castle near Moscow ended on Monday with a promise by Russia to pull its forces completely out of Georgia within a month.
The Russian president made it clear that he agreed to allow the complete withdrawal of Russian troops from Georgia only after Sarkozy guaranteed that Georgia would never again use force against Abkhazia and South Ossetia.
Russia, however, remained firm in its resolution not to compromise on its military presence in Abkhazia and South Ossetia—the two countries that Russia has recently recognized as independent states after Russia thwarted Georgia in its attempt in early August to reclaim control over South Ossetia.
Medvedev was also firm in his words that followed his talks with Sarkozy that Russia would not invalidate its decision to recognize Abkhazia and South Ossetia in spite of the fact that it drew much disapproval from the West. Russia would begin to set up diplomatic relations with both countries, the Foreign Ministry of Russia said on Tuesday, according to Reuters.
"As for recognition, for us that issue is closed,” Reuters quoted Medvedev as saying. “From the point of view of international law, for us two new states have appeared."
Russia threatened in early 2008 to recognize both South Ossetia and Abkhazia when it warned the West not to recognize Kosovo’s unilateral declaration of independence from Serbia. Unable to stop it from happening, Russia afterwards announced while Vladimir Putin was still the president that it would improve its relations with the two countries. After Georgia launched a military operation to retake South Ossetia in early August, Russia intervened and managed to “teach Georgia its lesson.” Shortly after the Georgian incursion was thwarted by Russian troops, the Russian administration acted swiftly and recognized Abkhazia and South Ossetia as two independent states—a move that is pregnant with further developments to take place and reshape the Caucasus in the near future.
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