MOSCOW. Sept 19 (Interfax-AVN) - President Dmitry Medvedev has said that it is apparent for Russia that the criminal regime, not the Georgian people is responsible for the aggression and genocide.
"It is an apparent truth for us that it was the criminal and irresponsible regime that unleashed the war, and not the Georgian people who are responsible for the aggression and genocide," he said at a Friday meeting with representatives of public organizations.
"We should be making this distinction at a personal level not just in relations between states," he said.
The president recalled that Russians and Georgians have had brotherly relations for centuries. "Over one million [ethnic] Georgians live in Russia and regard Russia as their homeland. And we appreciate it that they showed understanding of the steps that the Russian Federation was forced to take," Medvedev said.