Azerbaijan, Baku, 24 April / Trend corr N. Kirtskhalia, A. Gasimova/ Russia is unlikely to recognize the independence of Abkhazia and South Ossetia, though Russian President Vladimir Putin has ordered the Government to establish the 'direct cooperation' with the separatist regions in Georgia.
" Russia will not openly recognize the independence of Abkhazia and South Ossetia, but will maintain the close economic and political relations with them," Russian expert Vladimir Pribilovski said.
On 16 April, Russian Foreign Ministry reported that Vladimir Putin had ordered the Government to establish interaction with unrecognized republics Abkhazia and South Ossetia. Recognition of the documents given by 'actual administration' of Abkhazia and South Ossetia, recognition of juridical entities registered in the areas was amongst the arrangements offered by the Foreign Ministry. Tbilisi took Moscow's intension as an attempt to annex Georgian territory.
"Kremlin's work in the Caucasus cannot be called intricate. Recognition of Abkhazia and South Ossetia is unprofitable to Russia because that reminds of Chechnya. In that case, Russia will have to recognize independence of Chechnya as well," Vladimir Pribilovski, President of Panorama analytical centre, said to Trend in a telephone conversation from Moscow on 24 April.
According to the expert, the situation will not aggravate to armed conflict between Georgia and Russia. But the situation related to the recognition of Abkhazia and South Ossetia by Russia will stop development of relations between the two countries for a long period.
"Russia will recognize the independence of Georgia's separatist regions only in case Tbilisi gets NATO Membership Action Plan (MAP) in December," Georgian expert Giorgi Khutsishvili said.
By the decision of NATO April summit, Georgia will be able to get NATO MAP in December, which Russia takes as approaching of NATO on its borders and a direct threat to its security.
"If we refuse joining the MAP, Russia will not recognize Abkhazia and South Ossetia. Today they are offering such an alternative to Georgia," Khutsishvili, the Georgian conflict scientist said to Trend on 24 April. According to conflict scientist, Russia and Georgia are pursuing expedient and step-by-step policy aiming to weaken the Georgian government to a great degree.
"NATO is expanding toward the East and it poses a danger for Russia, therefore it attempts to avoid it and impede Georgia and Ukraine's entrance to the Alliance," the conflict scientist said. "However, the methods that Russia employs to create setbacks for Georgia are unacceptable," he said.
On its part, the West also responded to the statement by Putin on enhanced cooperation with separatist regions. NATO Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer expressed his anxiety over the statement by Russian Foreign Ministry concerning Abkhazia and South Ossetia. He reminded the fact that the Alliance member states supported the territorial integrity of Georgia in Bucharest summit. Meanwhile, Russia's attempts to establish official ties with the self-declared republics are undermining Georgia' sovereignty. NATO Secretary General has summoned Moscow to avoid such steps.
The representative of U.S. State Department Shon McCormack called on Russia to keep committed to its early statements on supporting Georgia's sovereignty and its territorial integrity. Slovenia, presiding over in European Union once again announced its support for Georgia's sovereignty and its territorial integrity within its internationally recognized borders.
The special meeting of UN Security Council held on 23 April by Georgia as a response to moves by Russia did not yield any results. UN Security Council did not pass any document on the results of the meeting, Vitaliy Churkin, the permanent representative of RF in UN said to media on 23 April.
Abkhazia and South Ossetia, former parts of Georgia SSR, declared their independence after demise of USSR. Unsuccessful talks are being held following the armed conflict that deprived Tbilisi of the control over these territories. They have been striving for recognition of their independence while Georgia considers them to be its constituent part and offers them a large autonomy.