The Russian parliament has voted to ask the president to recognise Georgia's two breakaway regions as independent.
The unanimous vote by the parliament's lower chamber follows a similar vote by the upper house earlier in the day, for South Ossetia and Abkhazia to be recognised as independent states. The votes were not legally binding and the final decision rests with Russian President Dmitry Medvedev. Moscow says some of its troops will remain in buffer zones around the separatist territories despite assurances that it would withdraw completely under an EU-mediated peace plan. The crisis will be discussed at a special European Union summit on September 1.
(Deutsche EU and South Africa hold first ever summit ...
EU to include aviation in "Emission Trading Scheme" ... Welle)
more info >>
<< Back