D.Medvedev.Пресс-конференция по окончании встречи с Президентом Франции Николя Саркози.Part 1

Part 1
Press Conference following Talks with President of France Nicolas Sarkozy
September 8, 2008
Maiendorf Castle, Moscow Region

PRESIDENT OF RUSSIA DMITRY MEDVEDEV: Ladies and gentlemen,
I would like to say a few words to start with. President Sarkozy, our other European colleagues and I had a very important meeting today. As is often the case this meeting went on longer than expected, but the main thing is that we had a frank discussion of all the most complex and relevant issues on the agenda today. Of course we spent most of the time discussing the situation following the recent crisis in the Caucasus provoked by Georgias aggression against South Ossetia.I want to say from the outset that our country values the mediation efforts made by the European Union, the French presidency and my colleague Mr Sarkozy personally. The French President has taken as active a part as possible in this issue right from the start. We speak with each other frequently and at length, and this does produce results it seems.Our colleagues confirmed today that the European Union is ready to continue its efforts to help resolve this conflict, including by establishing international mechanisms to guarantee security in the zones around South Ossetia and Abkhazia. Furthermore, we discussed the European Unions involvement in the measures that will be carried out in agreement with the OSCE.We examined other issues too. Of course there are matters on which we differ the issue of recognising the independence of [South] Ossetia and Abkhazia. You know that the EU has condemned this decision, but as we have already stated, this was the only way we had of protecting peoples lives, the only way of protecting the Ossetian and Abkhazian peoples continued existence.I want to say that we worked on implementation of the plan that was agreed, and I think that Russia is complying in full with this plan. Unfortunately, I cannot say the same of Georgia, which is trying to restore its military potential with the active help of some of our partners, above all the United States of America. I think that more countries will come to understand the decision we have taken in the future, and countries for whom human rights and peoples democratic will are not just empty words will follow our example. Some have already done so and I am sure their number will grow. But most important of all, in my view, and what we especially stressed today, is that from now on, dialogue with Sukhumi and Tskhinvali can take place only as with separate entities under international law.
In the European Union we see our natural partners, our key partners, and this is why we have agreed on additional measures today for implementing the plan of August 12, 2008. As was the case last time, I would like to present the documents content. I will do this in Russian first, and my colleague Nicholas will then do so in French.
Implementation of the plan of August 12, 2008.
Reconfirm each sides obligation to respect in full the Medvedev-Sarkozy six-point plan of August 12, 2008.Section one: Withdrawal of troops.Point one. Russia will withdraw all of its peacekeepers from the five observation posts along the line from Poti to Senaki inclusive within a maximum deadline of seven days, taking into account the signature on September 8, 2008, of legally binding documents providing guarantees of non-aggression against Abkhazia.Point two. Russia will withdraw in full its peacekeepers from the zones adjoining South Ossetia and Abkhazia to the positions where they were stationed before the start of hostilities. This withdrawal will be carried out within ten days following the deployment of international mechanisms in these zones, including at least 200 observers from the European Union, no later than October 1, 2008, taking into account legally binding documents guaranteeing non-aggression against Abkhazia and South Ossetia.I want to stress that Russia has already received these documents.
Point three. The complete return of Georgian armed forces to their home stations by October 1, 2008.Section two. International observation mechanisms.Point one. UN international observers in Georgia will continue to carry out their mandate in their zone of responsibility in accordance with the number and deployment scheme as at August 7, 2008, without detriment to possible future adjustments decided by the UN Security Council.Point two. International observers from the OSCE will continue to carry out their mandate in their zone of responsibility in accordance with the number and deployment scheme as at August 7, 2008, without detriment to possible future adjustments decided by the Standing Council of the OSCE.Point three. Speed up preparations for the deployment of additional observers in the zones adjoining South Ossetia and Abkhazia in number sufficient to replace the Russian peacekeepers by October 1, 2008, including at least 200 observers from the European Union.

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