Russia avoids pressuring states to recognize Abkhazia, S.Ossetia
28/08/2008 16:36 DUSHANBE, August 28 (RIA Novosti) - Russia's foreign minister said on Thursday that his country has no intention of pressuring other states to follow Moscow's lead and recognize Georgia's rebel regions as independent countries.
"Unlike some of our major Western partners, we prefer every country to think for itself," he said.
Russian President Dmitry Medvedev signed a resolution officially recognizing South Ossetia and Abkhazia as sovereign states on Tuesday, saying recognition was necessary to protect the republics from Georgian acts of aggression, following the August 8 military offensive in South Ossetia.
The move has been widely condemned by Western powers, in particular Britain and the United States, which have warned Russia it faces "international isolation."
Lavrov said Moscow is aware that the United States has been sending emissaries to foreign countries to "teach them" what positions to take on the issue.
"This kind of low conduct is not in our political tradition," he said.
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