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Medvedev: Why I Recognized 2 Provinces

Georgia's 'madman' forced us to act, writes Russian president

By Jason Farago, Newser Staff

Posted Aug 27, 2008 9:04 AM CDT

(Newser) – Yesterday Russia recognized the Georgian provinces of South Ossetia and Abkhazia as independent states—a move that Dmitry Medvedev calls "a heavy decision." Writing in the Financial Times, the Russian president says that independence for the two breakaway regions, which have suffered under Georgia's "vicious war on its minority nations," became inevitable after the "madman" Mikheil Saakashvili ordered the invasion of Tskhinvali.

"Russia had no option but to crush the attack to save lives," writes Medvedev. And the West, ignoring Russia's protests, recognized Kosovo's independence--making it impossible to tell the breakaways "that what was good for the Kosovo Albanians was not good for them." Medvedev insists that he cares for Georgians, "to whom we feel historic friendship and sympathy"—and hopes one day they will "have leaders they deserve."

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Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, who recognized the independence of two breakaway Georgian territories and prompted immediate condemnation from Western capitals. (AP Photo)

South Ossetians wave their flag in Tskhinvali as they celebrate Russian President Dmitry Medvedev signing a decree recognizing the independence of the breakaway Georgian territory. (AP Photo/Dmitry Lovetsky)

Russian peacekeepers sit atop their armored vehicle, in an undisclosed location in the breakaway Georgian region of Abkhazia on Tuesday, Aug. 26, 2008. (AP Photo/Vladimir Popov)

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, who recognized the independence of two breakaway Georgian territories and prompted immediate condemnation from Western capitals. (AP Photo)

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All possible outcomes had to be weighed–the histories of the Abkhaz and Ossetian peoples, their freely expressed desire for independence, the tragic events of the past weeks, and international precedents for such a move. - Russian president Dmitry Medvedev

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Medvedev: Why I Recognized 2 Provinces