Russia not to Recognize Abkhazia, South Ossetia – Saakashvili

Russia will not recognize Abkhazia or South Ossetia, President Saakashvili has said after meeting his Russian counterpart in Moscow on February 21.

“There had been some speculation recently regarding Kosovo and South Ossetia and Abkhazia. The Russian side indicated clearly that it would not recognize either South Ossetia or Abkhazia,” Saakashvili said in Moscow at a meeting with the Georgian community there on February 22.

He also confirmed that an agreement had been reached on the resumption of direct air traffic between the two countries.

Saakashvili, however, gave no further details on his meeting with President Putin.

Instead, he spoke of diplomatic efforts to help internally displaced persons to return to Abkhazia. “The latest [UN-led] meeting [on Abkhazia], which was held in Geneva [on February 18-19], was rather successful, unlike previous ones where only technical complaints were raised. Now all documents mark an unconditional right of refugees to return to their homes and maintain their property,” he said. “We will take all necessary diplomatic steps; of course it is up to us to resolve this issue; nobody will be able to resolve it without us.”