Medvedev ratifies Abkhazia, South Ossetia border protection deals

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev has signed into law joint agreements on guarding Russia’s borders with Abkhazia and South Ossetia, reports ITAR-TASS.

The agreements were signed in April 2009 and ratified by the Federation Council on March 31, 2010.

Under the deals, South Ossetia and Abkhazia grant Russia the authority to secure their borders with Georgia. The deals stipulate that Russia will protect the borders of South Ossetia and Abkhazia until the republics build their own border guard services.

The three countries have said the deals are not aimed against any third country.