Kiev is seriously concerned about the Kremlin’s decision to raise the status of its relations with Abkhazia and South Ossetia, reported Korrespondent.net on April 18, citing the Ukrainian Independent News Agency.  The head of the press service of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, Vasily Kirilich, commented on the decision of the Russian Federation to establish relations with the self-proclaimed republics of Abkhazia and South Ossetia (Georgia). Kirilich said the move breaks acknowledged norms and principles of international law.  As reported by the news source, he said such steps place the process of peace settlement under threat and contradict the status of the Russian Federation as an intermediary in the group of friends to the General Secretary of the United Nations on Georgia.  Ukraine called on the Russian Federation “to reconsider its decision and to focus efforts on assistance to an all-around settlement of conflicts on the basis of the preservation of the territorial integrity of Georgia,” reported the news source, citing the Ukrainian Foreign Affairs Ministry.

This information was originally published on April 18, 2008.  (www.korrespondent.net)