Russia: Troops to stay in Georgia for long time

Russia will keep its troops inside S. Ossetia and Abkhazia for a long time, Sergei Lavrov says. Their presence is not affected by an agreement to pull out troops, the Russian Foreign explained on Tuesday, Reuters reports. Russia: Troops to stay in Georgia for long time Russia's intervention last month, in which its forces crushed an attempt by Georgia to retake the separatist South Ossetia region, drew widespread international condemnation and prompted concern over the security of energy supplies. French President Nicolas Sarkozy won a commitment from Moscow on Monday to withdraw its forces from undisputed Georgian territory within a month, to be replaced by an international force including a 200-strong European Union contingent. But there was no explicit mention in Monday's deal of the Russian forces inside South Ossetia and the second breakaway Georgian region of Abkhazia, despite previous Western demands that all troops return to their pre-conflict positions. "Russian forces are on the territory of South Ossetia and Abkhazia at the request of the presidents and parliaments of those republics and on the instructions of the Russian president," Lavrov told a news conference. "In the next few days an agreement should be signed which will give a legal basis to the presence of Russian forces. They will be there for a long time, at least for the foreseeable period. That is necessary to not allow a repeat of Georgian aggression," Lavrov said. Later on Monday, Lavrov was to meet the two separatist foreign ministers to formally establish diplomatic relations - a step that is likely to further irritate Western governments who demand Georgia's territorial integrity be respected. Both the European Union and the United States have warned Russia its actions in Georgia could lead to serious consequences, but the scope for punitive measures is limited. Europe depends on Russia for more than a quarter of its gas supplies while Washington needs Russia's cooperation in efforts to curb Iran's nuclear ambitions. Russia said it was morally obliged to send in its military last month to prevent what it called a genocide in the separatist regions by an aggressive Georgian government egged on by its ally, the United States. Lavrov said the agreement, which came after four hours of tense talks at a castle outside Moscow on Monday, was a vindication for Russia because it included an EU guarantee that Georgia would not use force again against the separatists. "The responsibility for any attempts of aggression by Georgia will rest with the international presence," he said.

Russia: Troops to stay in Georgia for long time

Russia's intervention last month, in which its forces crushed an attempt by Georgia to retake the separatist South Ossetia region, drew widespread international condemnation and prompted concern over the security of energy supplies.

French President Nicolas Sarkozy won a commitment from Moscow on Monday to withdraw its forces from undisputed Georgian territory within a month, to be replaced by an international force including a 200-strong European Union contingent.

But there was no explicit mention in Monday's deal of the Russian forces inside South Ossetia and the second breakaway Georgian region of Abkhazia, despite previous Western demands that all troops return to their pre-conflict positions.

"Russian forces are on the territory of South Ossetia and Abkhazia at the request of the presidents and parliaments of those republics and on the instructions of the Russian president," Lavrov told a news conference.

"In the next few days an agreement should be signed which will give a legal basis to the presence of Russian forces. They will be there for a long time, at least for the foreseeable period. That is necessary to not allow a repeat of Georgian aggression," Lavrov said.

Later on Monday, Lavrov was to meet the two separatist foreign ministers to formally establish diplomatic relations - a step that is likely to further irritate Western governments who demand Georgia's territorial integrity be respected.

Both the European Union and the United States have warned Russia its actions in Georgia could lead to serious consequences, but the scope for punitive measures is limited.

Europe depends on Russia for more than a quarter of its gas supplies while Washington needs Russia's cooperation in efforts to curb Iran's nuclear ambitions.

Russia said it was morally obliged to send in its military last month to prevent what it called a genocide in the separatist regions by an aggressive Georgian government egged on by its ally, the United States.

Lavrov said the agreement, which came after four hours of tense talks at a castle outside Moscow on Monday, was a vindication for Russia because it included an EU guarantee that Georgia would not use force again against the separatists.

"The responsibility for any attempts of aggression by Georgia will rest with the international presence," he said.