A year after the recognition of Abkhazia and South Ossetia, “vigorous development of bilateral relations” with these regions remains “a priority” for Moscow, the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement on August 25.

Russian President, Dmitry Medvedev, signed a decree recognizing two breakaway region’s independence on August 26, 2008. Only Nicaragua has so far followed Russia’s suit.

The Russian Foreign Ministry said in the statement, that the recognition was “the only right decision” following Georgia’s “barbaric attack” on Tskhinvali.

“Further expansion of the process of international recognition of Abkhazia and South Ossetia – whatever far it may seem – will undoubtedly foster further strengthening of peace and stability in the region,” the Russian Foreign Ministry said.

“Of course there should be no pressure on the matters related with this sensitive international, legal issues; each member of the international community should independently determine its foreign policy priorities.”

“But it is also clear that without acknowledging new military-political realities in Trans-Caucasus, it will not be possible to develop and expand any type of international presence on the territories of South Ossetia and Abkhazia,” the Russian Foreign Ministry said in reference to EU and OSCE monitoring missions.

It also said that so far Russia has signed 12 inter-state and inter-governmental agreements with both Sokhumi and Tskhinvali and 36 more agreements were in the process of development.

It said that these agreements refer “to development of and strengthening of military cooperation, providing socio-economic assistance, reconstruction of economic and transport infrastructure, trade relations.”