South Ossetia Parliament Ratifies Alliance Deal With Russia

SOUTH OSSETIA PARLIAMENT RATIFIES ALLIANCE DEAL WITH RUSSIA

16:17 * 03.04.15

The parliament of South Ossetia ratified on Friday the alliance and
integration treaty between the former Georgian republic and Russia
after the relevant bill was submitted with the lawmakers by the South
Ossetian president the day before, the news agency TASS reports.

On March 18, Russian President Vladimir Putin and his South Ossetian
counterpart Leonid Tibilov signed in Moscow an alliance and integration
treaty aimed at establishing closer cooperation in social, economic
and humanitarian spheres, as well as on foreign policy, defense and
security, while retaining the state sovereignty of South Ossetia. The
signed treaty has an expiration period of 25 years and is subject to
extension for 10 more years.

In line with the treaty Russia undertakes the responsibility of
ensuring defense and security of South Ossetia and protecting the
country’s borders. The treaty also envisages an establishment of a
common defense and security space between Russia and South Ossetia,
as well as of free border crossing between the neighboring states,
taking into account restrictions in place for security concerns.

Georgian Prime Minister Irakly Garibashvili said in mid-March that
his country’s authorities considered the signed treaty between Russia
and South Ossetia “illegitimate.”

Late last year Russia signed a similar document with Abkhazia, the
other former Georgian republic. President Putin and his Abkhazian
counterpart Raul Khadzhimba signed the Treaty on Strategic Partnership
in Russia’s Black Sea resort of Sochi on November 24, 2014.

Russia recognized independence of former Georgian republics of Abkhazia
and South Ossetia in August of 2008. The two young nations had been
de facto independent for more than fifteen years before that.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress