The Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) said in a press release on January 29 that Kosovo, if given international recognition, would set a precedent.

The press release was issued in response to repeated claims by President Saakashvili that Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov had assured him that Kosovo would have no bearing in how Russia relates to either Abkhazia or South Ossetia. Saakashvili said that Lavrov had told him during a meeting in Tbilisi on January 20 that Moscow would not recognize the breakaway Georgian territories, even if Kosovo were granted independence. As recently as January 28, Saakashvili said in an interview with EuroNews that “concerns have come from some previous statements by some in Russia that it [Kosovo] might create a precedent for Georgian territories."  "However, we were reassured by recent statement by Foreign Minister Lavrov," Saakashvili said. "He said that there's no way Russia would recognize Georgian breakaway areas because of Kosovo.”

In its press release, the Russian Foreign Ministry quoted Lavrov as saying at a news conference in Moscow on January 23: “As far as Kosovo is concerned, the Russian side has never stated that after Kosovo we would immediately recognize Abkhazia or South Ossetia. The Russian side has never, I stress, has never, stated that. The precedent, however, will be established not because we want it or not. It will be established in itself and it will be established for many territories and not only for Abkhazia and South Ossetia.”

The Russian Foreign Ministry added that the Lavrov's quote clearly confirms "the already well-known principled position of Russia," which the Georgian leader misinterpreted.