Lukashenka didn’t recognise independent of Georgia’s territories at CSTO session

Following the summit of heads of states, members of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO), a declaration, which contains not a single word about the independence of Abkhazia and South Ossetia was adopted.

As Interfax reports, the document says all sides of the conflict must fulfil the Medvedev-Sarkozy plan and express support of active role of Russia “in promoting peace and cooperation in the region”.

The declaration also stresses that the CSTO members “stand for promoting lasting security for South Ossetia and Abkhazia”.

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev signed a decree on recognising independence of Abkhazia and South Ossetia on August 26, 2008. This decision was condemned by the European Union and the US, who consider Abkhazia and South Ossetia to be parts of Georgia.

On August 27, Russia’s Ambassador to Belarus said Moscow expected Minsk to support the issue of status of the republics and recognition them by the Belarusian leadership. On August 28, Alyaksandr Lukashenka sent a message to his Russian colleague saying “Under the circumstances Russia had no other moral choice”. He also suggested to consider the question on status of Abkhazia and South Ossetia at a CSTO summit.

After the meeting of the heads of states, Medvedev said Georgia’s actions were condemned. He also noted that Russian CSTO partners would solve the matter on recognising independence of Abkhazia and South Ossetia independently in view of their national interests.

The CSTO members are Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan.