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Russia Says 2 Regions in Georgia Are Independent
President Dmitry Medvedev, addressing the nation in a live television broadcast, said he signed decrees recognizing South Ossetia and Abkhazia as independent states to protect residents of the regions from Georgian attacks, which he described as "genocide." "Yeah, those Georgians do that stuff all the time. The place used to be crawling with Veps and Malamutes and Urdmurts -- you never see them anymore. We're putting a stop to that!" "This is not an easy choice to make, but it represents the only possibility to save human lives," Medvedev said, arguing that Moscow had shown "restraint and patience" for years in the face of Georgian "provocations." The Russian decision was not likely to change the situation on the ground, as both territories have enjoyed de facto autonomy from Georgia for more than a decade. But it amounted to a bold reassertion of Russian power in a region that Moscow considers part of its sphere of influence and a pointed challenge to President Bush, who had warned the Kremlin not to recognize the territories the day before. Posted by: Fred 2008-08-28 |
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