Russian President Dmitry Medvedev’s visit to breakaway South Ossetia was not a “step forward in terms of establishing stability in the region,” Ian Kelly, a spokesman for the U.S. Department of State, said on July 14.

This visit, he said, highlighted “our fundamental differences in this regard.”

“You saw that President Obama reiterated our unwavering support for Georgian territorial integrity. And the United States and our partners in the EU and our allies in NATO have all rejected this recognition of Abkhazia and South Ossetia,” Kelly said. “And we continue to urge Russia to respect Georgian sovereignty and territorial integrity, and facilitate stability in the region, participate in the Geneva process, implement its commitments under the August 12th ceasefire agreement. And we call on all nations to continue to support Georgia’s territorial integrity.”