Abkhazia

September 01, 2008 -- Chicago, IL - "I welcome the results of today's emergency summit of European Union leaders in Brussels. The EU made clear, as I have repeatedly insisted, that Georgia's territorial integrity must be respected, that Russia's recognition of South Ossetia and Abkhazia as independent states must be rejected, that the six-point peace plan of August 12 must be implemented in its entirety, and that Georgia must be given substantial humanitarian and economic assistance.    » read more »

August 26, 2008 -- Chicago, IL -- "I condemn Russia's decision to recognize Abkhazia and South Ossetia as independent states and call upon all countries of the world not to accord any legitimacy to this action.

"The United States should call for a meeting of the United Nations Security Council to condemn Russia's decision in coordination with our European allies. The U.S. should lead within the UN and other international forums to cast a clear and unrelenting light on the decision, and to further isolate Russia internationally because of its actions. The OSCE must also send a serious monitoring group to Georgia.    » read more »

United Nations -- 27 August 2008 -- Russia's U.N. envoy has defended his government's decision to recognize two breakaway Georgian provinces, saying Tblisi's attack on South Ossetia earlier this month canceled existing U.N. resolutions that assure Georgia's territorial integrity and created a "new reality".

Reading a statement from the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Vitaly Churkin said his government has recognized the independence of South Ossetia and Abkhazia in the face of an "aggressive, chauvinistic policy pursued by Tblisi."

He said Russia showed great patience in waiting this long to recognize the two breakaway regions and its decision to do so was unanimous in the Russian parliament.    » read more »

WASHINGTON, Aug. 26, 2008 – President Bush condemned what he called Russia’s “irresponsible decision” today to recognize the Georgian regions of South Ossetia and Abkhazia as independent states.

“Russia's action only exacerbates tensions and complicates diplomatic negotiations,” Bush, in Crawford, Texas, said in a statement.

The president’s response comes after a reported announcement by Russian President Dmitry Medvedev that Moscow intends to formally recognize the two breakaway provinces in Georgia, where Russia continues to maintain troops in defiance of a cease-fire agreement and mounting international pressure to withdrawal.    » read more »