Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

Russian guards take up duties on Abkhaz, S. Ossetia borders

Collapse
X
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts

  • Russian guards take up duties on Abkhaz, S. Ossetia borders

    Russian guards take up duties on Abkhaz, S. Ossetia borders

    19:22 | 02/ 05/ 2009


    ROSTOV-ON-DON, May 2 (RIA Novosti) - Russian border guards have started
    their duties as part of a joint border-protection agreement concluded
    between Russia and two former Georgian republics, a border service
    spokesperson said on Saturday.

    The border deals, which Russian President Dmitry Medvedev signed with
    the two republics at a ceremony in the Kremlin on Thursday, have been
    condemned by NATO for being a "clear contravention" of a
    French-brokered cease fire agreement.

    "Border guard units...have started their duties on protecting the
    borders in Abkhazia and South Ossetia," Sergei Livantsov said without
    giving details of how many personnel were involved in the operations.

    Russia recognized Abkhazia and South Ossetia as independent states
    after a brief war with Georgia.

    The border agreement comes at a time of heightened tensions between
    Moscow and the military alliance, following planned NATO exercises in
    Georgia due to start later in the week and the expulsion of two Russian
    NATO envoys over spying claims.

    The NATO exercises have been slammed by Russia despite reassurances
    that they will not involve light or heavy weaponry. Some 19 NATO
    countries and 1,300 troops are expected to participate, although
    Serbia, Moldova and Kazakhstan have withdrawn.

    Russian president Dmitry Medvedev said earlier, "NATO's plans to hold
    exercises in Georgia...are an open provocation. Exercises must not be
    held there where a war has been fought," and warned that the exercises
    could have negative consequences for those who made the decision to
    hold them.

    NATO announced the expulsion of the two Russian diplomats, one of whom
    is the son of Russia's EU envoy Vladimir Chizhov, on Thursday. The move
    follows a spy scandal involving an Estonian official, Herman Simm, who
    was jailed for 12 years for handing over secret documents to Russian
    intelligence operatives.

    Russia's foreign ministry called the move "scandalous" and added
    "Naturally, we will draw our own conclusions about this provocation."

    According to Nesterenko, the new borders agreements, "are designed to
    strengthen security and stability in the region, and do not interfere
    with the current search for acceptable formats of international
    presence [in the region]."

    Under the agreements, Russia will guard the Abkhaz and South Ossetian
    borders, including maritime frontiers, until both republics form their
    own border guard services. The agreements, for an initial five years,
    can be renewed upon their expiration.
Working...
X