Putin Comments on Breakaway S.Ossetia’s Planned Referendum Related to Joining Russia

Russia’s President Vladimir Putin said Moscow “cannot resist” South Ossetia’s plans to hold a referendum related to joining Russia.

He told journalists after his annual phone-in on April 14 that Moscow will consider and take final decision taking into account what will serve as a “basis” for such referendum and what will be the wording of referendum question.

Leader of Georgia’s breakaway South Ossetia, Leonid Tibilov, who met Putin in late March, said on April 11 that referendum on a constitutional change that would allow him to request Moscow South Ossetia’s accession to Russia will be held “before August”.

Asked if Moscow is going to accept South Ossetia’s accession to the Russian Federation and “will not it be annexation”, Putin responded: “We are not yet considering our relations with South Ossetia in this context.”

“We have recognized South Ossetia,” Putin said and added that this recognition came after then Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili made “strategic mistake” and used military force in 2008.

“We have not discussed the issue in details with the South Ossetian leader. He expressed his attitude towards this problem and said that people of South Ossetia want to hold such a referendum. We cannot resist it,” Putin said.

“Nothing, but the interests of the South Ossetian people, restrains us,” he added. “But we do not yet know what will serve as a basis for this referendum, what the final formulation of question will be. Depending on these [factors] we will further think and then decide.”

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