NATO Concerned over Russia’s Ties with Abkhazia, S.Ossetia

NATO Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer said he was “deeply concerned by the actions Russia has taken to establish legal links with the Georgian regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia.”

“NATO Allies, at their recent Summit in Bucharest, reiterated their support for the territorial integrity, independence and sovereignty of Georgia. The Russian steps undermine that sovereignty. I urge the Russian Federation to reverse these measures, and call on the Georgian authorities to continue to show restraint,” he said in a written statement issued on April 16.