16 August 2008, 14:35
Russian President signs six principles on settling conflict in Georgia
Today, President of Russia Dmitri Medvedev has held a sitting of the Security Council, where they considered the post-conflict settlement in South Ossetia. The President has informed the Council members that he had signed the six-point (six principles) planned coordinated between Russia and France. Natalia Timakova, press secretary of Russian leader, has reported this news to journalists.
President of Georgia Mikhail Saakashvili, who has accepted five out of six points of the agreement, said on August 15 that he had signed the ceasefire agreement. On August 14 in Moscow, Presidents of Abkhazia and South Ossetia also signed the document. In the near future, France will bring it to the UN.
Meanwhile, according to Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, the contents of the document on South-Ossetian conflict settlement, which was signed by President of Georgia Mikhail Saakashvili, differs from the one signed by Presidents of Russia and France.
"We were a bit puzzled with the fact that the document signed Saakashvili, is different from the document, which had been coordinated by Presidents of Russia and France, thus, the issue need updating by diplomatic channels," the RIA "Novosti" quotes Sergey Lavrov as saying.
According to Mr Lavrov, the document signed by Saakashvili, completely lacks the preamble that states that "the below-listed principles are supported by Presidents of Russia and France, and Presidents of Russia and France are call the parties to sign this document."
