Kathmandu, Aug. 27

Russian Ambassador to Nepal informed that Russia has recognised the independence of South Ossetia and Abkhazia.

A statement issued by Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation said that Russia has recognised the independence of South Ossetia and Abkhazia, mindful of its responsibility for ensuring the survival of their fraternal peoples in the face of aggressive, chauvinistic policy pursued by Tbilisi.

"Considering the freely expressed will of the Ossetian and Abkhaz peoples and being guided by the provisions of the UN Charter, the 1970 Declaration on the Principles of International Law Governing Friendly Relations Between States, the CSCE Helsinki Final Act of 1975 and other fundamental international instruments, I signed Decrees on the recognition by the Russian Federation of South Ossetia’s and Abkhazia’s independence," President of Russian Federation Dimitry Medvedev said in a statement. "Russia calls on other states to follow example. This is not an easy choice to make, but it represents the only possibility to save human lives."

"The President of South Ossetia and Abkhazia, based on the results of the referendums conducted and on the decisions taken by the Parliaments of the two republics, appealed to Russia to recognise the state sovereignty of South Ossetia and Abkhazia. The Federation Council and the State Duma voted in support of those appeals."

That policy is based on the slogan ‘Georgia for Georgians’ advanced in 1989 by Zviad Gamsakhurdia who tried to implement it in 1992 by abolishing the autonomies in the Georgian territory and ordering Georgian troops to take Sukhum and Tskhinval with a view to enforcing unlawful practices, the Ministry statement states.

President of Russian Federation Dmitry Medvedev has said that the nighttime execution-style bombardment of Tskhinaval by the Georgian troops resulted in the deaths of hundreds of Russian Civilians.

Among the deaths were the Russian peacekeepers, who gave their lives in fulfilling their duty to protect women, children and the elderly, Russian ambassador to Nepal A. Trofimova quoted President as saying at a press conference Wednesday in Kathmandu.

The Georgian leadership, in violation of the UN Charter and their obligations under international agreements and contrary to the voice of reason, unleashed an armed conflict victimising innocent civilians, the President said. "The same fate lay in store for Abkhazia."

"Obviously, they in Tbilisi hoped for a blitz-krieg that would have confronted the world community with an accomplished fact. The most inhuman way was chosen to achieve the objective-annexing South Ossetia through the annihilation of whole people."

The Georgian leadership chose another way of disrupting the negotiation process, ignoring the agreements achieved, committing political and military provocations, attacking peacekeepers-all these actions grossly violated the regime established in conflict zones with the support of the United Nations and OSCE, the President was quoted as saying.