The treaties are an attempt to formalize military, diplomatic and economic co-operation between Moscow and the separatist regions, which Russia recognized as independent states after its brief war with Georgia last month.
Medvedev signed the treaties with South Ossetian leader Eduard Kokoity and Czechs reiterate support for Georgia's territorial integrity ...
Siemens Mulls Plans to Cut 15,000 Jobs ... Abkhaz leader Sergei Bagapsh on Wednesday, Sept.
17. Only Nicaragua has followed Moscow's lead and recognized the enclaves as independent.
The deals were signed in the face of widespread global condemnation of Russia's incursion into Georgia. Russia has been accused of neo-imperialism by critics in the West in the midst of the tensest period in Russia-West relations since the Cold War.
In a speech after the signing ceremony in the Kremlin, Medvedev said Russia was committed to defending Abkhazia and South Ossetia from any Georgian attempts to reclaim the two enclaves.
Georgia has insisted the two regions be returned to Tbilisi's control.
Separatists' borders to be guarded
Bildunterschrift: Großansicht des Bildes mit der Bildunterschrift: Russia said its troops will defend the breakaway enclaves from Georgia Under the friendship treaties, Russian troops are to patrol the Georgian borders of Abkhazia and South Ossetia jointly with separatist troops.
"The defense of state borders ... will be carried out jointly by the signing parties in the interests of each other's security and of peace and stability in the South Caucasus region," read the text of the pacts.
Russia is also set to unify its energy, transport and telecommunications networks with the rebel provinces.
"The documents we have signed envisage that our countries will jointly undertake the necessary measures for counteracting threats to peace ... and opposing acts of aggression," Medvedev said. "We will show each other all necessary support, including military support.
"A repeat of the Georgian aggression ... would lead to a catastrophe on a regional scale, so no one should be in doubt that we will not allow new military adventures. No one should have any illusions."
German diplomat heads EU mission to Georgia
Bildunterschrift: Großansicht des Bildes mit der Bildunterschrift: German diplomat Hansjoerg Haber will head the EU mission to Georgia Meanwhile, the EU on Wednesday named German diplomat Hansjoerg Haber to head its observer mission in Georgia, the bloc said in a statement.
Haber, 55, is currently Germany's ambassador to Beirut and has been envoy to Moscow and Ankara. He will take charge of some 200 European monitors who are expected to be deployed in Georgia by Oct. 1.
Once on the ground, the EU mission will enable Russian peacekeepers to withdraw within 10 days from buffer zones near the two rebel regions.
Haber "will have a crucial role in putting together and launching the mission as a key part of the EU's efforts to address the crisis in Georgia and enhance stability in the region," EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana said.
"His range of skills and experience in diplomacy and crisis management will be assets for the mission," Solana added in a statement. "He has my full trust and support and I look forward to working with him."
Steinmeier rebuffs Georgia peace plan critics
Bildunterschrift: Großansicht des Bildes mit der Bildunterschrift: German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier says the EU's peace plan was on the mark The cease-fire agreement has come under criticism from some in Europe as giving Russia too much room to maneuver after the five-day conflict last month. But German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier hit out Wednesday at critics of the six-point EU peace plan.
"I find it a bit shabby the way it is being disparaged," said Steinmeier during a debate in the German parliament.
He praised France's President Nicolas Sarkozy, who had negotiated the plan in "difficult" talks in Moscow and Tbilisi.
"This conflict and people's deaths in the southern Caucasus ended because the European Union took up the case," said the minister.
Steinmeier said the plan was "naturally" incomplete, but it would have been "cynical" to keep on negotiating and risk a continuation of the bloodshed in the Caucasus.
"I'm just happy that we can fill the gaps in the document while the guns are silent."
(Deutsche Welle)
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