Putin Appoints New Envoy for Border Demarcation with Tbilisi, Sokhumi, Tskhinvali

On January 2, Russian President Vladimir Putin appointed Mikhail Petrakov as his special envoy for demarcation and delimitation of borders with the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) countries, as well as Georgia and occupied Abkhazia and Tskhinvali region/South Ossetia, replacing Igor Bratchikov who served the post since August 2012.

The Foreign Ministry of Georgia reacted to the appointment, noting that any delimitation agreement between Russia and Kremlin-backed Abkhaz and South Ossetian authorities will be considered illegal, Georgian media cited MFA as saying on January 3.

The Georgian MFA also added, reportedly, that the demarcation of the Russo-Georgian border cannot be discussed unless Moscow ends the occupation of the two Georgian regions and withdraws recognition of Sokhumi and Tskhinvali.

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