Russian MPs back independence for Georgian regions

Both houses of Russia's parliament overwhelmingly backed the independence of Abkhazia and South Ossetia. The vote on the issue in the Federation Council, which supported the move unanimously, was followed in the lower house - the State Duma. Russian MPs back independence for Georgian regions The vote is not binding on the Kremlin, but could provide President Dmitry Medvedev with bargaining chips in talks with the West, analysts say. Russia fought a brief war with Georgia this month over South Ossetia. Both it and the much larger province of Abkhazia have had de facto independence since breaking away in the early 1990s. While they have enjoyed Russian economic and diplomatic support, and military protection, no foreign state has recognized them as independent states. Since the fighting over South Ossetia ended nearly two weeks ago with the ejection of Georgian forces from both provinces, the Russian military has established controversial buffer zones along their administrative borders with Georgia proper. The Federation Council supported the independence of Abkhazia and South Ossetia after a brief debate on the issue at its extraordinary session. Both Abkhaz leader Sergei Bagapsh and his South Ossetian counterpart, Eduard Kokoity, addressed the Russian lawmakers, urging them to recognize the independence of the two regions. "It's a historic day for Abkhazia and South Ossetia," Bagapsh said, adding that Abkhazia would never again be part of Georgia. Kokoity thanked Russia for supporting South Ossetia during the conflict with Georgia, describing President Medvedev's move to deploy troops as "a courageous, timely and correct" decision. Both houses of the Russian parliament are dominated by allies of President Medvedev and his Prime Minister, Vladimir Putin. The leadership of the pro-Kremlin United Party - which has the majority in the lower house, the Duma - had already backed the draft appeal to recognize Abkhazia and South Ossetia, the chairman of the lower house's influential international affairs committee, Konstantin Kosachev, said. Russia's lawmakers interrupted their summer holidays for extraordinary sittings, formally called at the request of separatist leaders in the two Georgian provinces. Thousands of people attended pro-independence rallies in the Abkhaz capital Sukhumi and war-ravaged South Ossetian capital Tskhinvali on Thursday. The Russian parliament today (Beta)

Russian MPs back independence for Georgian regions

The vote is not binding on the Kremlin, but could provide President Dmitry Medvedev with bargaining chips in talks with the West, analysts say.

Russia fought a brief war with Georgia this month over South Ossetia.

Both it and the much larger province of Abkhazia have had de facto independence since breaking away in the early 1990s.

While they have enjoyed Russian economic and diplomatic support, and military protection, no foreign state has recognized them as independent states.

Since the fighting over South Ossetia ended nearly two weeks ago with the ejection of Georgian forces from both provinces, the Russian military has established controversial buffer zones along their administrative borders with Georgia proper.

The Federation Council supported the independence of Abkhazia and South Ossetia after a brief debate on the issue at its extraordinary session.

Both Abkhaz leader Sergei Bagapsh and his South Ossetian counterpart, Eduard Kokoity, addressed the Russian lawmakers, urging them to recognize the independence of the two regions.

"It's a historic day for Abkhazia and South Ossetia," Bagapsh said, adding that Abkhazia would never again be part of Georgia.

Kokoity thanked Russia for supporting South Ossetia during the conflict with Georgia, describing President Medvedev's move to deploy troops as "a courageous, timely and correct" decision.

Both houses of the Russian parliament are dominated by allies of President Medvedev and his Prime Minister, Vladimir Putin.

The leadership of the pro-Kremlin United Party - which has the majority in the lower house, the Duma - had already backed the draft appeal to recognize Abkhazia and South Ossetia, the chairman of the lower house's influential international affairs committee, Konstantin Kosachev, said.

Russia's lawmakers interrupted their summer holidays for extraordinary sittings, formally called at the request of separatist leaders in the two Georgian provinces.

Thousands of people attended pro-independence rallies in the Abkhaz capital Sukhumi and war-ravaged South Ossetian capital Tskhinvali on Thursday.