Medvedev praises Sarkozy’s role in South Ossetia ceasefire
August 8th, 2009 - 5:38 pm ICT by IANSMoscow, Aug 8 (RIA Novosti) Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said Saturday that his French counterpart Nicolas Sarkozy played a “big role in solving the Georgian-South Ossetian crisis”, the Kremlin said in a statement.
As Russia marked the anniversary of the start of hostilities between Georgia and Russia in the former Georgian republic of South Ossetia Aug 8, Medvedev said in a message to the French leader that the Aug 12 ceasefire agreement, brokered by Sarkozy, remains the only “code of conduct” in force in the Caucasus region.
“France’s participation as EU president in our efforts to stop (Georgian President Mikheil) Saakashvili’s uncontrolled aggression was effective and achieved results,” the statement said.
Some 162 civilians and 67 Russian service personnel, including peacekeepers, were killed when Georgia attacked the former Georgian republic of South Ossetia last August. Russia reacted swiftly expelling Georgian troops from South Ossetia and forcing them deep into Georgia amid accusations on both sides of human right abuses.
Medvedev also praised the role of the EU’s 200-strong mission, which has been deployed along the Georgia border since last October, to observe the implementation of the ceasefire agreement.
The statement also touched upon the new “geopolitical situation” in the region as a result of Saakashvili’s policies. The main task Medvedev said was ensuring peace and safety in the Caucasus.
Some 800 Russian troops are currently deployed in South Ossetia as part of a bilateral security agreement between Tskhinvali and Moscow.
Russia has repeatedly called for Georgia to sign a non-use of force pact which Moscow claims would avoid a repeat of last summer’s tragedy.
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- US Senate asks Russia to pull out from Abkhazia, South Ossetia - Jul 31, 2011
- Moscow says arrest of alleged Russian spies in Georgia part of "anti-Russian psychosis" - Nov 05, 2010
- Georgia orders general mobilization, fighting with South Ossetia rages (Fourth lead) - Aug 08, 2008
- Georgia, Russia agree to French-brokered peace plan - Aug 13, 2008
- Russian, Georgian armed forces in direct combat in Caucasus - Aug 09, 2008
- Bush, Medvedev trade barbs over Georgia - Aug 16, 2008
- Russia agrees to Georgia ceasefire plan (Lead) - Sep 08, 2008
- Georgia reluctant to restore relations with Russia (Lead) - Mar 03, 2012
- Russia remains in Georgia with diplomacy stalled - Aug 15, 2008
- Russian troops take control of South Ossetian capital (Second Lead) - Aug 09, 2008
- 'Georgia recruiting refugees as sabotage activists' - Aug 28, 2010
- Russia to pull out from Georgia Monday: Medvedev (Lead) - Aug 17, 2008
Tags: caucasus region, ceasefire agreement, dmitry medvedev, french counterpart, french leader, geopolitical situation, georgia border, georgian president, georgian republic, georgian troops, mikheil saakashvili, moscow russia, nicolas sarkozy, region france, ria novosti, russian president, russian service, russian troops, security agreement, south ossetia