Lavrov: EU guarantees non-use of force by Georgia

Sergey Lavrov, head of the Russian MFA, has stated today that the European Union has become the basic guarantor of force non-use by Georgia against South Ossetia and Abkhazia. A written notification on the fact was received by Presidents of Georgia and Russia Mikhail Saakashvili and Dmitri Medvedev.

"The European Union has taken up the role of the main guarantor of the non-use of force principle," Mr Lavrov said at a briefing in Moscow.

According to the "Interfax", he has reminded that on September 8 President of France Nicolas Sarkozy gave a letter to Dmitri Medvedev, which he had earlier sent to President of Georgia. The letter runs that Georgia undertakes not to apply force against Abkhazia and South Ossetia.

President of Georgia Mikhail Saakashvili stated at his joint press conference with President of France Nicolas Sarkozy held in Tbilisi on the night of September 9 that European observers will gradually replace Russian peacekeepers, in Abkhazia and South Ossetia inclusive.

"There's no doubt that the more OSCE and EU observers we have in the Georgian territory, the better," Dmitri Medvedev said in his turn. "I hope it'll at least stop the Georgian military regime from foolish actions," President has added according to the ITAR-TASS.

Mr Medvedev has also emphasized that in the context of his decree on recognition of South Ossetia and Abkhazia as subjects of the international law "until the treaties are concluded with South Ossetia and Abkhazia on friendship, cooperation and mutual assistance, Russian Armed Forces will perform the peacekeeping functions in the territory of these republics on the request of their leaders."

The Russian leadership has agreed with the authorities of South Ossetia and Abkhazia about the strength and disposition of Russian peacekeepers in the territory of the breakaway republics. According to Russian Minister of Defence Anatoly Serdyukov, about 3800 Russian militaries will be deployed in each of the republics.