Russia on April 30 agreed to assist with securing the borders of the breakaway regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia, Russian news services reported.
Under the terms of a five-year agreement signed by Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, de facto Abkhaz leader Sergei Bagapsh and de facto South Ossetian leader Eduard Kokoity, Moscow will train border guards and "create border guard services" for both territories, the ITAR-TASS news agency reported.
Before Georgia's 2008 war with Russia, Commonwealth of Independent States peacekeepers - primarily Russian - provided buffer zones between Georgian-controlled territories and Abkhazia and South Ossetia, but never performed border-guard functions.
The agreement states that the arrangements "are not aimed at third countries and they do not touch on the rights and obligations of the sides in compliance with other international treaties."
While reinforcing its position in Abkhazia and South Ossetia, Moscow made some form of amends with the North Atlantic Treaty Organization on April 29 with the first session of the NATO-Russia Council since Russia's 2008 war with NATO aspirant member Georgia. The Kremlin nonetheless still harbors strong objections to NATO exercises planned to start on May 6 in Georgia.
