S.Ossetia, Moscow Municipality Sign Cooperation Accord

South Ossetian leader Eduard Kokoity and Moscow Mayor Yuri Luzhkov signed an agreement on September 20 in Moscow on Friendship and Cooperation between the breakaway region and the Russian capital.

?The signing of this agreement means the launch of a new stage of development of the South Ossetian Republic,? the breakaway region?s PM Yuri Morozov was quoted as saying by the South Ossetian Press and Information Committee.

In a statement issued on September 20 the Georgian Foreign Ministry condemned the agreement between the Moscow municipality and breakaway South Ossetia as interference in Georgia?s internal affairs.

?Russia refused to act as a mediator [between the conflicting sides] long ago, and instead has turned into a conflict instigator,? the statement reads.