Russia signs pacts with breakaway regions

MOSCOW, May 1 (UPI) -- Russia signed five-year security agreements Thursday with the breakaway Georgian regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia, government officials said.

Abkhazian President Sergei Bagapsh and South Ossetian President Eduard Kokoity joined Russian President Dmitry Medvedev for the signing ceremony in the Kremlin, Itar-Tass reported.

Abkhazia and South Ossetia split away from Georgia soon after the breakup of the Soviet Union. Russia recognized them as independent states last year after its incursion into Georgia in response to an attempt to bring South Ossetia under the government's control, but no other country has followed suit.

Under the agreements, Russia will provide border security for both regions.

"The agreements are not aimed against third countries and they do not touch on the rights and obligations of the sides in compliance with other international treaties," the document says. "The amendments to the agreements will be made on mutual accord of the parties."