The Georgian Foreign Ministry has condemned signing of an agreement on “the state border” between Russia and breakaway South Ossetia and said it is “yet another action directed against the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Georgia” and “an attempt of artificial redrawing of internationally recognized borders.”

Foreign Ministry said in a statement on February 18 that by signing of this agreement Russia “vainly attempts to conceal the de facto annexation of the Georgian territories stemming from the upcoming so-called ‘treaty on alliance and integration’,” which Moscow plans to sign with Tskhinvali.

The planned treaty on “alliance and integration” envisages formalizing merger of the breakaway region’s many key structures, including defense and security agencies, with those of Russia.

“Despite the series of constructive measures undertaken by the Georgian government to de-escalate relations with Russia, Moscow continues provocative policy aimed at undermining Georgia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity in violation of its [Russia’s] international commitments, including the provisions of the ceasefire agreement of August 12, 2008,” the Georgian Foreign Ministry said.

It called on the international community “to give due assessment to the mentioned fact and take effective measures to prevent the policy aimed at the annexation of the occupied regions of Georgia.”

Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement on February 17 that this agreement on “the state border” between Moscow and Tskhinvali should help “dispel insinuations, spread recently by the Georgian side, as if [Moscow is] planning to ‘annex’, ‘absorb’, ‘incorporate’ South Ossetia.”

“The goal of such speculation is to discredit policy of Russia in the South Caucasus and to distort essence of its [Russia’s] cooperation with young republics,” the Russian Foreign Ministry said.