MOSCOW, June 2 (RIA Novosti) - Russia and Georgia continued Friday a heated exchange over the unrecognized republic of South Ossetia that was re-ignited by a Russian peacekeeping battalion's rotation in the region at the end of last month.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said that Georgia had no control over the zone of the South Ossetia conflict, which dates back to the early 1990s, and its claims that Russia refused to recognize Georgia's territorial integrity were unfounded.
He also said that Georgia had refused to sign agreements on South Ossetia that would prohibit the use of force to resolve the conflict and that Georgia has procured a large number of weapons.
"All of this can only lead to the thought that the use of force to resolve the situation is being considered," Lavrov said.
Georgia's state minister for conflict resolution issues earlier accused Russia of bringing forces into South Ossetia in excess of an established quota for peacekeepers and using the rotation of its peacekeeping battalion in the zone of the Georgian-Ossetian conflict as a cover.
Giorgi Khaindrava also slammed statements made by South Ossetian leader Eduard Kokoity that the unrecognized republic in Georgia was de facto a part of Russia.
"Let him say whatever he wants to say," Khaindrava said. "He is talking about South Ossetia being part of Russia for the 799th time."
Earlier Friday, Kokoity told a press conference in Moscow: "At present, South Ossetia is de facto part of Russia, because 90% of the citizens of the unrecognized republic are Russian citizens who have Russian passports."
The South Ossetian leader said the republic determined its goal to join Russia during a 1991 referendum that adhered to all international standards and should be recognized by the international community.
He added that Russian laws were enforced in South Ossetia and that the ruble was an official currency.
Khaindrava said South Ossetia and another breakaway region, Abkhazia, had always been and would remain an integral part of Georgia.
"I know that Russian military units and people who are attempting to bite off a part of Georgian territory and give it to Russia will follow the so-called peacekeepers on their way out from Georgian territory," he said.
But Russian Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov reiterated Friday that Russian peacekeepers in South Ossetia would see their mission through to the end despite the threats to their safety.
"Our soldiers will implement their mandate to the end, until all political agreements are in existence," Sergei Ivanov told journalists.
Ivanov said the presence of Russian peacekeepers in the conflict zone was the only factor preventing an outbreak of war.
He also said peacekeepers were acting under a mandate from the Joint Control Commission -comprising Georgia, South Ossetia and Russia - which is attempting to find a solution to the conflict and added that Russia had no plans to increase the number of peacekeepers.
A Russian peacekeeping battalion has been stationed in South Ossetia since an end to fighting in the early 1990s after the region tried to secede from Georgia.
