We have evidence of genocide - Russian investigators

Russian investigators say they have found evidence of genocide by the Georgian military against South Ossetians. The Head of Russia's Investigative Committee, Aleksandr Bastrykin, said that witnesses reported that Georgian soldiers were throwing cluster bombs into shelters where civilians were hiding.

He also said that investigators came across the body of a pregnant women shot in the head.

Bastrykin added that more than 200 specialists continue to work in the region.

Russian MPs back independence of South Ossetia and Abkhazia

On Monday, both houses of the Russian parliament have voted unanimously to ask President Dmitry Medvedev to recognise the independence of Abkhazia and South Ossetia. MPs gathered for special sessions to debate the future of the unrecognised states. Georgia has repeatedly said it will never surrender its territories.

MPs gathered for special emergency sessions to debate the issue of the unrecognised states.

The Federation Council, the upper chamber, has also agreed that additional forces of Russian peacekeepers will be deployed in the conflict areas where the two breakaway republics border Georgia.

The lower chamber, the State Duma, meanwhile, has called on international parliamentary organisations and parliaments of the UN-member countries to recognise the independence of Abkhazia and South Ossetia.

As the emergency session of the Federation Council began in Moscow, the presidents of the two breakaway republics have once again said they will never agree to remain within Georgia.

In his speech, the President of South Ossetia, Eduard Kokoity, said that both unrecognised states have more right to independence than Kosovo.

"As President of South Ossetia and on behalf of the South Ossetian parliament and its people, with all gratitude to the President of the Russian Federation I once again call for the recognition of South Ossetia as an independent state," he said before the senators.

Abkhazian President Sergey Bagapsh, for his part, said neither Abkhazia nor South Ossetia will live as one state with Georgia.

In his address the Speaker of the Duma, Boris Gryzlov, called Georgia's action a case of genocide and compared it to the aggression of Nazi Germany against the Soviet Union.

Even if Russia recognises Abkhazia and South Ossetia, the entire process will take a long time. There will be a need to decide what form their independence will take.

But if NATO makes a strong push to bring Georgia into the alliance, Russia will recognise both of them instantaneously, says RT's political commentator Peter Lavelle.

International reaction

The EU was quick to react to the vote in the Russian Parliament. Brussels issued a statement saying both South Ossetia and Abkhazia should remain in Georgia.

The U.S., joined by Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, said Russia's stance on the breakaway regions is not acceptable. The Baltic states also said recognising the republics as independent states breaches international law and disrupts neighbourly relations.

Germany has announced that it hopes President Medvedev will not accept the appeal.

A spokesperson for the German government recalled a meeting between Angela Merkel and Dmitry Medvedev, where the German Chancellor insisted the key to solving the conflict was maintaining the integrity of Georgia.

Britain said the Russian parliament's initiative would simply increase tension in the Caucasus.

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• georgia
• invades
• South
• Ossetia
• 8/8/08
• saakashvili
• cnn
• russia
• fighting
• conflict
• bbc
• war
• gori
• Fox
• New

[WabbitR]

koojanr... what the heck is Adiga?

[koojanr]

Dear citizens of Russia, you all well aware of the tragedy of the Adigan nation whom you persecuted and killed in the most inhuman way,to follow your ambitions to rule by destroying a hole population. More than a million Adigan were murdered. It was Russia who was responsible of the near extinction of the Adigan nation.

We all thankful to Russia that decided to turn to peaceful resolutions.

The Adiga have the right to resolve there own fate. Why don't you recognize the sovereignty of Adiga ?