Russia expects from Lukashenka recognition of South Ossetia and Abkhazia

• 26.08.2008, 9:13

Moscow puts high hopes on Minsk, which, according to it should recognize the independence of South Ossetia and Abkhazia.

“The leaders of the unrecognized republics stated their desire to join the “union state”, and the “union state” is ready to take these desires into account. It would be convenient to Russia as well, as it is an address to the “union state”, not to Russia,” said the assistant of the state secretary of the so-called “union state” of Russia and Belarus Ivan Makushonak.

Russian Ambassador to Belarus Alexander Surikov has also presumed that Minsk could recognize independence of Abkhazia and South Ossetia, but Russia “must be the first”.

Yesterday Russia's State Duma lower and higher houses of parliament approved resolutions calling on the Kremlin to recognize two rebel regions of Georgia, South Ossetia and Abkhazia, as independent states. A corresponding decree was signed by Russian president Dmitry Medvedev today. This decision caused a negative response of the US and the EU.

As we have informed, earlier the Kremlin wasn’t hiding an extremely negative attitude to the “timid” position of Belarus towards the recent military conflict of Russia with Georgia, and deliberately postponed considering Belarus’ requests on giving a loan and reducing costs for Russian gas.

At the meeting with the president of Russia Dmitry Medvedev Alyaksandr Lukashenka not only supported actions of Russia in Georgia completely, calling them “beautiful and wise”, but agreed for creation of the common system of anti-missile defense system.