France, which currently holds the EU presidency, Tuesday "strongly condemned" the Russian decision to recognize the independence of South Ossetia and Abkhazia, the two breakaway regions of Georgia.
The decision was in contravention of the UN Charter's principles of national independence and sovereign and territorial integrity, as well as relevant resolutions by the Security Council,said a statement of the president's office.
The EU presidency strongly "reiterates support for the principle of Georgian territorial integrity" and called for a political solution to the Georgian conflict, it said.
Russian President Dmitry Medvedev Tuesday signed decrees recognizing the independence of South Ossetia and Abkhazia.
The move is in keeping with fundamental international laws and shows Russian support for the expression of "free will" by the Ossetian and Abkhazian peoples, Medvedev said in a televised address.
Georgia said the Russian decision was a challenge not only to Georgia but to the international community as it violated the UN Charter. The move will "leave Russia isolated" internationally, said Georgian Minister for Reintegration Temur Iakobashvili.
Also Tuesday, Spain expressed regret and Poland showed firm opposition toward Russia's recognition of the two regions.
The Russian decision was not conducive to a resolution of the conflict, said Spanish Foreign Minister Miguel Angel Moratinos. Moratinos called for respect of the EU-brokered agreement on the dispute.
Polish President Lech Kaczynski slammed the decision and urged an immediate pullout of the Russian troops from the Georgian territory.
Abkhazia and South Ossetia broke from central Georgian rule during wars in the early 1990s following the collapse of the Soviet Union, but their self-proclaimed independence is not recognized internationally.
Earlier this month, Georgia sent in troops to reclaim South Ossetia and Russia responded with a military offensive, driving Georgian forces out of the region and taking over parts of Georgian territory.
Russia declared a halt to its military offensive on Aug. 12 after days of conflict in the region. Later, Moscow said it had fulfilled the promise made in a France-brokered peace plan to withdraw its troops from Georgia as of last Friday.
Source:Xinhua
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