MOSCOW. Dec 5 (Interfax-AVN) - Russia must develop relations with South Ossetia based on the will of its people as articulated in the November 12 vote for independence, according to a draft resolution to be debated in the Russian State Duma.
"The State Duma believes that Russia should build its policy to South Ossetia based on the results of the referendum and in line with international legal norms and precedents, as well as Russian law," says the draft statement on the results of the South Ossetian independence referendum and the results of the South Ossetian presidential elections.
The draft statement is expected to be discussed at a State Duma meeting on December 6.
According to official South Ossetian data, 99.88% of voters cast their ballots for independence in the referendum, and 98.1% voted for Eduard Kokoity for president.
"The Georgian-Abkhaz and Georgian-South Ossetian conflicts should be resolved solely by peaceful means based on the interests of all parties concerned," the document say.
The Georgian authorities failed to establish a dialogue with the people of Abkhazia and South Ossetia. People of the two breakaway republics were forced to establish independent authorities, armed forces, law enforcement agencies and judicial systems, the document says.
The international community must take the results of the referendum into account, the draft statement says.