"Serbia could now recognize Abkhazia and S. Ossetia"

Source: Beta

TBILISI -- The Serbian parliament may consider recognizing Abkhazia and South Ossetia after Tomislav Nikolić's presidential election victory, a Georgia-based website says.

Nikolić and Putin meet in Moscow (Tanjug/RIA Novosti)

The site - "Democracy and Freedom Watch (DFWatch) - published by an NGO, claims that Georgia for this reason "responded to the election of a nationalist as Serbia's president with a call for cooperation".
Belgrade-based Beta news agency is quoting the article, which states that Georgian Deputy FM Nino Kalandadze expressed her hope that the issue would be solved "through bilateral talks".

According to this, Nikolić's position on "the rebel Georgian republics" is different that that held by his predecessor, Boris Tadić:

"While pro-European Boris Tadić warned against the precedent which was set when Kosovo unilaterally declared independence in February 2008, Nikolić in an interview with Voice of Russia on Saturday dismissed any similarities between Kosovo’s claim for independence and that of Abkhazia and South Ossetia."

The article further states that Nikolić said that "Kosovo should be under the control of Belgrade, while the two separatist states deserve independence".

The website claims that his statement "coincided with an announcement by Vladimir Putin that Russia will grant Serbia a loan of USD 800 million for infrastructure projects".

"During his visit to Moscow and a meeting with the president of Russia he also expressed that uncompromising position on Kosovo will not be changed even if it hinders EU integration," said the Georgian website.

It then noted that "Nikolić was vice-premier in the government of Slobodan Miloševicć and has been one of the leaders of a radical nationalist party head of the which Vojislav Šešelj, who was put on trial in the Hague (Tribunal)", but that now, "he is the leader of his own party and support a more moderate nationalist stance".

The Georgian Deputy FM Kalandadze, meanwhile, is reported to have appealed to the Georgian and Serbian people’s "close relations", citing their "Orthodox (Christian) religion, similar history and cultural relations".

"Georgia like Serbians have chosen a European way, both seeking EU membership. It’s clear to everyone that the EU clearly recognizes Georgia’s territorial integrity and Georgia’s borders within international law frames. Accordingly, it is in Serbia’s national interest to follow international standards".