MOSCOW. Aug 7 (Interfax) - Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev has called on Georgia to start direct negotiations with Abkhazia and South Ossetia concerning conditions for not using military force and the situation surrounding refugees.
In an interview with Georgia's Rustavi 2 television station on Tuesday, Medvedev noted that Russia does not hold any effective control over these territories and cannot assume responsibility for ensuring the safe return of refugees.
"You need to muster up the courage to launch direct consultations both on the fate of refugees and arrangements for not using military force, which, regrettably, the Georgian side has so far chosen to evade," the Russian prime minister said.
Medvedev said he disagrees with the opinion of Georgia's authorities, who think that refugees cannot return to South Ossetia because Russian forces are deployed there and that it is "Russia's problem".
"It is certainly not Russia's problem. It is a problem of internal relations between Georgia and South Ossetia … Unfortunately, the historical roots of this problem run deep. We would like it to be sorted out. That is why I think that direct talks are needed. Otherwise, it will be impossible [to resolve the problem]," Medvedev said.
The sides cannot always seek the support of large states - whether it be the United States or Russia - to resolve this conflict, he said.
Referring to international legal principles that govern a side's responsibility for ensuring the safe return of refugees to a territory over which this side holds effective control, a Rustavi-2 correspondent asked the Russian prime minister whether or not Russia was prepared to assume this mission.
"Do you want me to admit the existence of effective control over this territory? I cannot admit it, although I signed a decree that recognized these two constituents of international law… I cannot admit the existence of effective control on the part of the Russian Federation. I can explain this by one simple fact: we have nothing to do with any occupation-related matters," Medvedev said.
Russia has been maintaining its military presence in Abkhazia and South Ossetia at these states' request, the prime minister said.
But Russia's military contingent "has kept away from any situations, but simply helps maintain the existing status quo and makes sure that no more people are killed," he said.
"As far as effective control over the situation is concerned, it is exercised by the authorities of South Ossetia and Abkhazia," the Russian premier said.
Furthermore, the Russian government has encountered difficulties when discussing certain issues with the authorities of these states, Medvedev said.
"Sometimes, it is far from easy for us to discuss different topics with them because they tell us: do not interfere, it is our business, it is our territory, it is our country. It means that in this sense we have been tackling purely defensive tasks," Medvedev said.
The Russian prime minister said he regretted the Georgian authorities' categorical refusal to communicate with the South Ossetian authorities.
"This approach is wrong not only because it is a conflict that involves the known sides and which all of us have found ourselves dragged into. It is essentially wrong. Similar conflicts have never been settled in other places. They can be settled only within the region in question and only through direct negotiations," Medvedev said.