User:Jamescp/sandbox

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Abkhazia and South Ossetia are de facto independent areas within Georgia's borders. The Autonomous Republic of Abkhazia declared Abkhazia de facto independent from Georgia in 1992, when it invoked the right of secession under an interpretation of Articles 70 and 72 of the USSR Constitution. South Ossetia declared de facto independence from Georgia in the early 1990s during the Georgian-Ossetian conflict. Following the collapse of the Soviet Union, Georgia claimed these territories within their sovereign borders

Following the 2008 South Ossetia War, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev officially recognised the independence of Abkhazia and South Ossetia. Since then, many countries have contested Russia's decision, calling on Russia not to recognize Georgia's regions. In defense towards international criticism, Medvedev stated that "ignoring Russia’s warnings, western countries rushed to recognise Kosovo’s illegal declaration of independence from Serbia. We argued consistently that it would be impossible, after that, to tell the Abkhazians and Ossetians (and dozens of other groups around the world) that what was good for the Kosovo Albanians was not good for them.”

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Abkhazia and South Ossetia are de facto independent states within the borders recognized by the UN Security Council for Georgia.

Abkhazia and South Ossetia declared independence and broke away from post-Soviet Georgia early in the 1990s. Georgia did not accept the secession and their independence remained internationally unrecognized until August 28 2008 when the President of Russia Dmitry Medvedev accorded both of this entities an official recognition, citing the threats to their security and the case of Kosovo's secession from Serbia. This occurred in the immediate aftermath of the 2008 South Ossetia war fought between Georgia, on one side, and South Ossetia, Abkhazia, and the Russian Federation, on the other.

All member states of NATO and the European Union and several other countries condemned Russia's move and urged to respect Georgia's territorial integrity while Georgia cut diplomatic ties with Russia and declared Abkhazia and South Ossetia "occupied territories". Belarus and Nicaragua have declared their intention to recognize Abkhazia and South Ossetia while Tajikistan, Venezuela, and Syria have stated their support to Russia's actions and other states have called for further negotiations.

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Abkhazia and South Ossetia are de facto independent states within Georgia's internationally recognized borders. Georgia's sovereign territorial integrity has been reaffirmed by the United Nations Security Council.

The Autonomous Republic of Abkhazia declared Abkhazia de facto independent from Georgia in 1992, when it invoked the right of secession under an interpretation of Articles 70 and 72 of the USSR Constitution. South Ossetia declared de facto independence from Georgia in the early 1990s during the Georgian-Ossetian conflict.

The two region's de facto independence was not formally recognized by a sovereign country until 28 August 2008 when Dmitry Medvedev, the President of Russia, officially recognized their independence. Medvedev stated that "western countries rushed to recognise Kosovo’s illegal declaration of independence from Serbia. We argued consistently that it would be impossible, after that, to tell the Abkhazians and Ossetians (and dozens of other groups around the world) that what was good for the Kosovo Albanians was not good for them.”

Russia's recognition occurred in the aftermath of the 2008 South Ossetia war, which was fought between Georgia on one side, and South Ossetia, Abkhazia, and Russia on the other.

NATO, the European Union and many other countries have condemned Russia's decision and urged Russia to respect Georgia's territorial integrity. Georgia responded to Russia by cutting all diplomatic relations and declaring Abkhazia and South Ossetia occupied territories.

Belarus and Nicaragua have declared their intentions to recognized Abkhazia and South Ossetia. Tajikistan, Venezuela and Syria stated their support for Russia's actions.

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Russian President Dmitry Medvedev stated that "western countries rushed to recognise Kosovo's illegal declaration of independence from Serbia. We argued consistently that it would be impossible, after that, to tell the Abkhazians and Ossetians (and dozens of other groups around the world) that what was good for the Kosovo Albanians was not good for them. In international relations, you cannot have one rule for some and another rule for others."

Analysts suggest that Russia's decision to recognize Abkhazia and South Ossetia was influenced by the United States' and European Union's decision to recognize Kosovo's independence from Serbia. This decision went against the United Nations Security Council Resolution 1244, which, on 2 June 1999, reaffirmed "the commitment of all Member States to sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and other states in the region."