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Russian MPs back Georgia's rebels Russian MPs back Georgia's rebels
(about 2 hours later)
Both houses of Russia's parliament have urged the president to recognise the independence of Georgia's breakaway regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia. Russia's parliament has backed a motion urging the president to recognise the independence of Georgia's breakaway regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia.
The unanimous votes in the Federation Council and State Duma are not binding on President Dmitry Medvedev. Both houses voted unanimously in favour of the non-binding motion, which analysts say could help President Dmitry Medvedev in talks with the West.
But they could provide Mr Medvedev with bargaining chips in talks with the West, analysts say. Meanwhile, Russia says it has not agreed to allow international troops into buffer zones near the two regions.
Russia fought a brief war with Georgia this month after Tbilisi tried to retake South Ossetia by military force. Russia and Georgia fought a brief war this month over the regions.
Most of Russia's ground forces pulled out of Georgia last Friday, following a French-brokered ceasefire agreement between Moscow and Tbilisi. Moscow launched a counter-attack after Tbilisi tried to retake South Ossetia by military force.
The US and a number of Western governments have backed Georgia, sending aid and issuing strongly-worded statements.
On Monday the White House announced Vice-President Dick Cheney would visit Tbilisi next month and hold talks with President Mikhail Saakashvili, in a move analysts say will further irritate the Kremlin.
Peacekeeper disagreement
Moscow has once again stepped up its rhetoric on the issue.
Mr Medvedev said Russia could deal with anything Nato could threaten it with - including the severing of all ties.
It's a historic day for Abkhazia... and South Ossetia Sergei Bagapsh, Abkhazian leaderIt's a historic day for Abkhazia... and South Ossetia Sergei Bagapsh, Abkhazian leader
But some Russian troops continue to operate near the Black Sea port of Poti, south of Abkhazia, and have established checkpoints around South Ossetia. And Prime Minister Vladimir Putin said Russia would consider scrapping some of the trade deals it had made in trying to gain entry to the World Trade Organization (WTO).
On Monday, a senior Russian commander said Russian troops would be carrying out regular inspections of cargo in Poti. On the ground, most of Russia's forces pulled out of Georgia last Friday.
Moscow has defended plans to keep its forces near the port, saying it does not break the terms of the truce. But some troops continue to operate near the Black Sea port of Poti, south of Abkhazia, where Russia says it will carry out regular inspections of cargo, fuelling speculation that Moscow is imposing an economic stranglehold on Georgia.
Russia has also said it will not allow aerial reconnaissance in the buffer zones it had set up. Troops also continue to operate in buffer zones that Russia controversially set up within undisputed Georgian territory.
The US, France and UK say Russia has already failed to comply with the ceasefire terms by creating buffer zones around South Ossetia and Abkhazia. France's President Nicolas Sarkozy said at the weekend that, under the terms of the ceasefire he had helped broker, troops from the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) would move into these buffer zones.
But senior Russian officials now say they never agreed to allow international peacekeepers to patrol in the zones, and also say they will not allow aerial reconnaissance over the zones.
Both regions have had de facto independence since breaking away in the early 1990s.Both regions have had de facto independence since breaking away in the early 1990s.
While they have enjoyed Russian economic and diplomatic support, and military protection, no foreign state has recognised them as independent states. While they have enjoyed Russian economic and diplomatic support, and military protection, no foreign state has yet recognised them as independent states.
Since the fighting over South Ossetia ended nearly two weeks ago with the ejection of Georgian forces from both provinces, the Russian military has established controversial buffer zones along their administrative borders with Georgia proper.
'Hitler' comparison'Hitler' comparison
The upper house, Federation Council, voted 130-0 to call on President Medvedev to support the independence of Abkhazia and South Ossetia.The upper house, Federation Council, voted 130-0 to call on President Medvedev to support the independence of Abkhazia and South Ossetia.
The lower house, the State Duma, approved the same resolution in a 447-0 vote shortly afterwards.The lower house, the State Duma, approved the same resolution in a 447-0 vote shortly afterwards.
South Ossetians rallied for independence last weekSouth Ossetians rallied for independence last week
The Federation Council speaker, Sergei Mironov, said both Abkhazia and South Ossetia had all the necessary attributes of independent states.The Federation Council speaker, Sergei Mironov, said both Abkhazia and South Ossetia had all the necessary attributes of independent states.
During the debate in the two chambers, several speakers compared Georgia's military action in South Ossetia with Hitler's World War II invasion of the Soviet Union.During the debate in the two chambers, several speakers compared Georgia's military action in South Ossetia with Hitler's World War II invasion of the Soviet Union.
Both Abkhaz leader Sergei Bagapsh and his South Ossetian counterpart, Eduard Kokoity, addressed the Russian lawmakers before the votes, urging them to recognise the independence of the two regions.Both Abkhaz leader Sergei Bagapsh and his South Ossetian counterpart, Eduard Kokoity, addressed the Russian lawmakers before the votes, urging them to recognise the independence of the two regions.
"It's a historic day for Abkhazia... and South Ossetia," Mr Bagapsh said, adding that Abkhazia would never again be part of Georgia."It's a historic day for Abkhazia... and South Ossetia," Mr Bagapsh said, adding that Abkhazia would never again be part of Georgia.
Mr Kokoity thanked Russia for supporting South Ossetia during the conflict with Georgia, describing President Medvedev's move to deploy troops as "a courageous, timely and correct" decision.Mr Kokoity thanked Russia for supporting South Ossetia during the conflict with Georgia, describing President Medvedev's move to deploy troops as "a courageous, timely and correct" decision.
He said that South Ossetia and Abkhazia had more rights to become recognised nations than Kosovo, which declared independence from Serbia earlier this year with support from the US and much of the European Union.He said that South Ossetia and Abkhazia had more rights to become recognised nations than Kosovo, which declared independence from Serbia earlier this year with support from the US and much of the European Union.
Both houses of the Russian parliament are dominated by allies of President Medvedev and Prime Minister Vladimir Putin. Both houses of the Russian parliament are dominated by allies of Mr Medvedev and Mr Putin.
The lawmakers interrupted their summer holidays for extraordinary sittings, formally called at the request of separatist leaders in the two Georgian provinces.The lawmakers interrupted their summer holidays for extraordinary sittings, formally called at the request of separatist leaders in the two Georgian provinces.
Thousands of people attended pro-independence rallies in the Abkhaz capital Sukhumi and war-ravaged South Ossetian capital Tskhinvali on Thursday. Responding to the vote, President Saakashvili said Russia's military actions were illegal.
Kosovo or Northern Cyprus? "This is as unjustified as Stalin's attack against Finland or Nazi occupation of Europe," he said.
While both provinces have been pushing for formal independence since the break-up of the Soviet Union in the 1990s, Russia's official line at least until now has been similar to that of the West, the BBC's Humphrey Hawksley reports from Moscow. While both Abkhazia and South Ossetia have been pushing for formal independence since the break-up of the Soviet Union in the 1990s, Russia's official line at least until now has been similar to that of the West, the BBC's Humphrey Hawksley reports from Moscow.
But in March the State Duma passed a resolution supporting independence should Georgia invade or rush to join Nato.But in March the State Duma passed a resolution supporting independence should Georgia invade or rush to join Nato.
After Monday's votes, the bill will be sent to the Kremlin for approval.After Monday's votes, the bill will be sent to the Kremlin for approval.
Analysts say the Kremlin might delay its decision while it carries out wider negotiations with the West on the crisis, says our correspondent. Analysts say the Kremlin might delay its decision while it carries out wider negotiations with the West on the crisis.
If it backs the move, the two regions could apply to the United Nations for recognition, which would almost certainly be vetoed in the Security Council.
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They could also ask for support from Russia's allies from as far afield as Venezuela and Cuba, our correspondent notes.
Analysts say the two new aspirant nations could end up like Kosovo and be accepted by a substantial number of governments.
Alternatively, they could become largely isolated and recognised only by Russia, in the same way that Northern Cyprus is recognised only by Turkey.
Much of it would depend on the measure of Russia's international influence, our correspondent adds.
Should Abkhazia and South Ossetia be independent? Can normal life ever be resumed in Georgia?Should Abkhazia and South Ossetia be independent? Can normal life ever be resumed in Georgia?
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