Georgian membership of NATO will harm the ex-Soviet state's chances of resolving conflicts with its breakaway regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Thursday.
"We are aware that U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice was speaking about Georgia's affiliation to the NATO Membership Action Plan (MAP) and that this step would settle the conflicts in Abkhazia and South Ossetia," Lavrov was quoted by the Itar-Tass news agency as saying at a meeting with Abkhaz leader Sergei Bagapsh.
"It is necessary to sign an agreement not to use force and to ensure de-escalation in the Kodori Gorge. The main thing is to prevent the conflict from being resumed," he said, adding that Russia had submitted a relevant resolution to the UN Security Council.
Bagapsh, in his turn, said Georgia's entry into NATO "would not settle the conflicts for sure" and Abkhazia is not going to join any alliances.
Abkhazia and South Ossetia broke away from central rule in the 1990s following the collapse of the former Soviet Union. But their self-proclaimed independence is not internationally recognized.
Tensions are running high between Georgia and its breakaway regions, which have recently seen several explosions, border clashes and disputes over peacekeepers.
Source:Xinhua
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