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Russian probe into Georgia war extended until April 2009

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MOSCOW, December 23 (RIA Novosti) - A probe into Georgia's aggression against its breakaway province of South Ossetia has been extended until April 2009, the head of Russia's special investigations committee said on Tuesday.

Alexander Bastrykin said the committee is considering expanding its probe into Georgia's war against South Ossetia to include a further four indictments.

He also said an international tribunal could be established to investigate war crimes committed in South Ossetia in August after Georgia launched a military offensive on the capital Tskhinvali which led to a brief war between Tbilisi and Russia over the breakaway region.

"Once the investigation has been completed, a special judicial body would need to be set up to address the events in South Ossetia," Bastrykin said.

He said the case files would then be passed over to the Foreign Ministry, who would hand them over to the international community.

He also said foreign mercenaries fought in South Ossetia alongside Georgian troops during the August attack.

"Today we have received conclusive proof that members of Ukraine's nationalist organization, UNA-UNSO [Ukrainian National Assembly - Ukrainian National Self Defense] took part in these events," Bastrykin said, adding that U.S., Turkish and Czech mercenaries had been involved in the fighting in South Ossetia.

Russia also plans to sign a military cooperation and border protection treaty with Abkhazia, recognized as an independent state by Moscow, in early 2009, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said.

Lavrov said the treaty on regulating military contacts with Abkhazia and joint border protection, as well as a host of other cooperation agreements was being finalized.

"We have agreed to step up the work so that we can sign the documents early next year," Lavrov said at talks with Abkhazian Foreign Minister Sergei Shamba.

Lavrov also said Russia is ready to represent the interests of Georgia's breakaway province of Abkhazia in third-party countries.

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