Georgia could lose rebel regions: Russia NATO envoy
Published: Tuesday, March 11, 2008
RUSSIA-NATO-GEORGIA
Moscow, March 11 (Reuters)—Georgia's Moscow-backed breakaway regions will start the process of "real secession" if NATO gives Georgia a signal it can join the alliance, Russia's ambassador to NATO said on Tuesday.
"As soon as Georgia gets some kind of prospect from Washington of NATO membership, the next day the process of real secession of these two territories (Abkhazia and South Ossetia) from Georgia will begin," Dmitry Rogozin told Reuters in a telephone interview.
Asked if by this he meant Russia might recognise independence for Abkhazia and South Ossetia, Rogozin said: "My personal view is this: we will have no arguments remaining to stand in the way of this process."
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