Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev who just returned from South Ossetia on Friday warned Georgia against telling the Russian leadership which sovereign countries it should visit or not.
Medvedev arrived in Tskhinvali, the capital of South Ossetia, on August 8 on the fourth anniversary of the August 2008 war between Russia and Georgia, which culminated in Moscow recognizing the independence of South Ossetia and another Georgian breakaway republic, Abkhazia.
Georgia’s Foreign Minister called Medvedev’s visit “illegal” and “committed in violation of Georgian laws.”
“What does the Georgian Foreign Ministry have to do with this? The Russian prime minister visited an independent state, held talks with its leadership and discussed joint projects,” Medvedev posted in an internet discussion dedicated to Georgia’s reaction to his visit on RIA Novosti’s Facebook page.
“Independent South Ossetia – that’s the reality of modern international relations. To a great extent, this country emerged on the map four years ago because of the criminal policies maintained by the Georgian leadership. And those politicians are not the ones to teach us what to do,” the prime minister said.
Following Russia's conferral recognition of Abkhazia and South Ossetia, Tbilisi passed the "Law of Georgia on Occupied Territories" in October 2008, officially declaring the "Territory of the Autonomous Republic of Abkhazia" and "The Tskhinvali Region (territory of the former South Ossetia Autonomous Region)" to be "occupied territories."
The law forbids entry into the regions from Russia and subjects violators to a fine or imprisonment, a restriction Russia's Foreign Ministry considers "repression."
The Foreign Ministry stressed that “Russia is isolated in its decision to recognize the independence of the two Georgian regions, Abkhazia and Tskhinvali.
“Russia’s efforts to manipulate the international community through threats or rewards have not yielded significant results. The Kremlin must realize that the international position with regard to Georgia’s territorial integrity is unshakable, and Georgia is committed to a future where there will be no place for occupying forces,” the statement said.
Six United Nations member states recognize Abkhazia and five recognize South Ossetia. The United States, European Union, and a majority of UN member states have affirmed Georgia’s territorial integrity and do not recognize the regions’ independence.
