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Assemblée parlementaire de l'OTAN
HomeMEDIA RESOURCES20091 May 2009 - NATO PA President John Tanner denounces Russia’s “border” protection agreements with South Ossetia and Abkhazia
1 May 2009 - NATO PA President John Tanner denounces Russia's “border” protection agreements with South Ossetia and Abkhazia:
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The President of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly, Congressman John Tanner, has denounced Russia's signing of "border" protection agreements with South Ossetia and Abkhazia. "In August, Russia signed a peace agreement which included the commitment that Russian forces would return to the positions held before the outbreak of hostilities in South Ossetia. Yesterday, Russia signed another agreement committing its forces to remain on the de facto boundaries of South Ossetia and Abkhazia. The commitments under the August agreement and those signed yesterday are contradictory." |
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President Tanner also dismissed Russia's criticism of the Partnership for Peace exercise in Georgia as "completely unfounded". Russia's President Medvedev has said that the exercise is "wrong and dangerous" and has called for it to be cancelled. President Tanner said, "The exercise in Georgia is a PfP event which was planned long before the conflict last August. Russia, as a member of PfP, cannot claim to have been surprised by the exercise, nor - with 7,000 troops in the region - can it be seriously concerned by it." Mr Tanner concluded by saying, "A cooperative relationship between NATO and Russia would be to the benefit of both. There are many areas where NATO and Russia could and should work together to further their common interests. Russia expresses the same view but its words and its actions are sending different messages." |
