Russian News: September 2nd, 2008!

RBC, 02.09.2008, Tashkent 18:48:16.It will not be critical for Russia, if other countries do not recognize the independence of South Ossetia and Abkhazia, Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin told journalists in Tashkent today. He believes that at the most important thing is that Russia’s actions on the territories of the republics would now be legitimate. Putin stressed that Russia would cooperate with South Ossetia and Abkhazia as it does with any other independent state. The official also noted that the recognition of their independence depended on their own actions, indicating that the republics had to form their own foreign policies.

RBC, 02.09.2008, Istanbul 18:30:00.Russia looks to the European Union to support its proposal to deploy international police forces in the Georgian-South Ossetian buffer zone, Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov stated after his talks with his Turkish counterpart Ali Babacan. Russia expects the EU to send its representatives to the international OSCE observer mission and, possibly, to the international police, the Russian Minister added. He stressed that Russia was willing to enlarge the international observer mission in the region, and was considering other international steps to show that the buffer zones organized by Russia in Georgia were safe and demilitarized, and “free from any movements and preparations”.

RBC, 02.09.2008, Tashkent 18:02:58.Russia is not satisfied that Georgia’s aggression against South Ossetia is not mentioned in an EU statement following the bloc’s summit on Monday, Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin told journalists in Tashkent today. Putin also regretted that the document mentioned Russia’s allegedly inadequate and disproportionate response to Georgia’s actions, while not specifying that those actions were pure acts of aggression. There are no words of sympathy for South Ossetians, the victims of the conflict, in the document either, the PM noted. He also added that Mikhail Saakashvili‘s Georgia was not a democratic state.

RBC, 02.09.2008, Moscow 17:43:13.Speaker of the Russian Federation Council Sergei Mironov has expressed assurance that Russia and the EU would be able to become normal once again. He made this statement, commenting on the results of the EU summit.

RBC, 02.09.2008, Moscow 17:07:20.Russia has not received official documents on the end of diplomatic relations with Georgia, spokesman for Russia’s Foreign Ministry Andrei Nesterenko told journalists toady. He pointed out that Georgia’s Ambassador to Russia had originally announced Tbilisi’s decision to this effect. However, experts believe that Georgia is not going through with the decision because of the potential negative effect it may have on Georgia’s citizens living in Russia. Nesterenko also indicated that the official end of diplomatic relations between the two countries would not promote a dialog between Moscow and Tbilisi on the settlement of existing conflict.

RBC, 02.09.2008, Moscow 16:17:57.Georgian troops are gathering in the Georgian-Ossetian conflict zone, spokesman for the Russian Foreign Ministry Andrei Nesterenko told a press conference in Moscow today. He pointed out that he had received data to this effect from Russia’s General Staff, adding that Georgian armed forces were restoring their fighting efficiency in the security zone and near check points. Nesterenko noted that a series of demonstrations against Russian military took place in the town of Koraleti. He also indicated that, according to various data, the demonstrations were instigated by respective Georgian authorities.

RBC, 02.09.2008, Tashkent 14:38:48.Moscow and Tashkent have agreed on the gas price formula for Uzbek gas purchased by Russia, Prime Minister Vladimir Putin announced following talks with Uzbek President Islom Karimov. Putin pointed out that from now on the two countries would use the European formula for price calculation.

RBC, 02.09.2008, Tiraspol 10:34:37.Transnistria wants the Russian peacekeeping contingent on the Dniester to be increased to 3,000 people, and a new agreement guaranteeing peace, security and stability in the region to be signed. The statement to this effect has been made by the republic’s President Igor Smirnov at a meeting held to mark Transnistria’s 18th anniversary. According to Smirnov, the measures are needed in view of the recent dramatic developments in South Ossetia. He pinned all hopes for peace, security and stability on Russia, as its government was able to raise peacekeeping forces to 3,000 people as provided for by an agreement of July 21, 1992.

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