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Moscow: Russia on Wednesday announced it will establish legal links with Georgia's breakaway regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia, prompting the small Caucasus state to call an emergency meeting of top security officials.
The step seemed certain to anger Georgia and was likely to create a new irritant in relations between Russia and Western states, which are closely allied to Tbilisi and suspect Russia of trying to punish Georgia for its bid to join Nato.
In an instruction released by Russia's foreign ministry, President Vladimir Putin ordered his government to recognise some documents issued by the separatist authorities and cooperate with them on trade and other issues.
"The main motivating factor for all our actions in this field is care for the interests of the people of Abkhazia and South Ossetia, including the Russian citizens living there," the foreign ministry said in a statement.
Confrontation
"Our actions ... do not mean that Russia is making a choice in favour of confrontation with Georgia," it said. Georgia has accused Moscow of creeping annexation of the rebel territories since they threw off Tbilisi's control in fighting in the 1990s. Georgia's staunchly pro-Western President Mikhail Saakashvili, who has vowed to restore central control over them, called a session of his Security Council to discuss Moscow's move, officials in Tbilisi told Reuters.
Putin's order made no mention of recognising the two regions' claims for independence from Georgia. Diplomats say Moscow is unlikely to grant diplomatic recognition because it is wary of fomenting separatism inside its own borders. Putin did though instruct his government to recognise businesses and organisations registered under Abkhaz and South Ossetian law.
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