Azerbaijan, Baku, 9 September / Trend corr. E.Tariverdiyeva / Eduard Shevarnadze, Georgian ex-President hopes that Moscow's positions on recognition of the independence of Georgian regions will be changed after a time.
" Russia still does not agree with the fact that these regions are indivisible territory of Georgia. Moscow's position will be changed after a time. The issue is not only a territory, the issue is population in Abkhazia and Ossetia," Shevarnadze told Trend via a telephone from Tbilisi on 9 September.
Russia recognized the independence of South Ossetia and Abkhazia on 26 August under the President's decree. Residents of S.Ossetia and Abkhazia requested Russia to recognize their independence after the developments that took place from 8 to 12 August, when Georgia held military operations in S.Ossetia.
According to the Georgian ex-President, Russia insists upon recognition of independence of Abkhazia and S.Ossetia, despite of the EU resistance.
" Georgia including me will never agree with this Russian's position. Both regions are legal territories of Georgia," Shevarnadze said.
The Russian President Dmitriy Medvedev and France's President Nicolas Sarkozy held talks in the Russian President's Meiendorf residence on 8 September. Later, French President met with Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili and stated that the EU condemned the unilateral recognition of independence of S.Ossetia and Abkhazia by Russia.
According to Shevarnadze, at the meeting with Saakashvili Sarkozy said that EU did no support Russia's decision. "Sarkozy said it on the behalf of the EU. The United States does not support the independence of the regions, as well," Shevarnadze said.
EU achieved certain results in its talks with Moscow. Russia is ready to withdraw its troops from Georgia excluding Abkhazia and S.Ossetia within 10 or 15 days, Shevarnadze said.
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