Georgia talks 'pointless' without rebel regions: Russian envoy
(BRUSSELS) - Talks this month on security in Georgia will be "pointless" unless representatives from the breakaway regions of South Ossetia and Abkhazia take part, Russia's ambassador to the EU said Thursday.
"It's obvious for any unbiased observer that without the participation of representatives of Abkhazia and South Ossetia these discussions will be pointless," Russian ambassador Vladimir Chizhov told a press conference in Brussels.
While he said he understood that "some of the other participants, including the EU, might have problems of recognition, non-recognition," of the two Russian-controlled regions, "international practice, including UN practice over the decades has provided us with numerous precedents of how such an issue can be addressed," he added.
Moscow recognised independence of the two separatist Georgian territories on August 26, after conflict broke out as a result of Tbilisi's attempt to assume control of South Ossetia earlier in the month.
Western nations strongly condemned Russia's actions in Georgia as a violation of international law and of Georgia's integrity.
The rest of the world, bar Nicaragua, has no official contact with the authorities in South Ossetia or Abkhazia who have not been invited to the talks in Geneva on October 15.
Those talks will concentrate on securing security and stability in the region, including the problem of refugees and displaced people.
The negotiations were part of a truce deal brokered last month by French President Nicolas Sarkozy, whose country holds the EU's rotating presidency.
While the talks will take place at first only at the "technical level" -- at Russia's insistence -- French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner has said that he will be in Geneva on October 14, along with EU Commission chief Javier Solana, and OSCE president Alexander Stubb to formally launch the negotiations.
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