U.S. critical about Nauru recognition of Abkhazia, S.Ossetia

[Kshasty]

Source: RIA Novosti

The recognition of Abkhazia and South Ossetia by the tiny Pacific island of Nauru will not make the governments of the former Georgian republics legitimate, a U.S. State Department spokesman has said.

Nauru, the world's smallest island state with a population of 14,000, has become the fourth country to recognize South Ossetia's independence, joining Russia, Nicaragua and Venezuela.

"On the first issue, the issue of the island of Nauru — is that how it's pronounced, Nauru? I didn't say it right — recognizing Abkhazia and South Ossetia, I would just say that the recognition by Nauru, in and of itself, does absolutely nothing in our eyes to help establish or underpin in some way the legitimacy of the de facto governments in both of those separatist regions," U.S. State Department Spokesman Ian Kelly told a press briefing on Wednesday.

Kelly said his country would continue to support the territorial integrity of Georgia "as the absolute vast majority of countries around the world."

Read more: http://en.rian.ru/world/20091217/157264795.html