Pro-Russian Ex-KGB officer wins vote in Georgia rebel region

http://news.bbcimg.co.uk/media/image...14472964-1.jpg
Leonid Tibilov, Former head of the KGB in South Ossetia


Ex-KGB officer wins election in breakaway Georgia region of South Ossetia


MSNBC
April 9, 2012

A pro-Russian former KGB officer has won the presidency in Georgia's breakaway region of South Ossetia and suggested he would push for the tiny territory to join Russia.

A mountainous region of about 30,000 people, South Ossetia has been at the heart of Georgia's bitter relations with Russia since breaking from Georgian control in a war in the 1990s.

Moscow recognized it as an independent nation after a brief war with Georgia in 2008. Internationally it is only recognized by Venezuela, Nicaragua and the Pacific nation of Nauru.

The victory of a Kremlin-backed candidate is certain to bolster Moscow's influence in the region as it seeks to complicate aspirations by U.S.-backed Georgia to join NATO.

(from the article)Analysts however say Moscow is unlikely to push for unification soon in order to avoid antagonising Western powers, which reject South Ossetia's independence claim and would be deeply alarmed by a Russia's physical expansion.Russia state news agency RIA Novosti said the turnoutin the small Caucasus republic of 72,000 stood at 63 percent two hours before the vote’s end, far above the minimum threshold of 30 percent, the local CEC said.
Kremlin-funded television channel RT quotedGeorgi Gugava, political secretary of Georgia’s opposition Labor Party, as saving Georgia’s president Mikhail Saakashvili is getting ready for a war with Russia.
“The gang that is holding power is ready to continue the [August] 2008 provocation, as a result of which we lost territories and hundreds of people were killed,” it quotes Gugava as saying. “Saakashvili is [planning] a provocation” in order to “involve the Russian Army” in a conflict.
Russia recently described a joint military exercise between U.S. Marines and Georgian soldiers as “provocation”, according to Tbilisi English-language news site, Georgia Times.
It said the exercises were aimed at building military relations between the U.S. and the Georgians, who are training to serve in Afghanistan.

Apparently there are no "good guys" here-just gangs arguing over territory.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by heavenlyboy34

Apparently there are no "good guys" here-just gangs arguing over territory.

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I see Russia trying to gain more and more power.


Flashback:

Russia Gives New Powers to KGB Successor
http://www.ronpaulforums.com/showthr...-KGB-Successor

Former Soviet Boss Gorbachev Says Putin Is More Communist Than He Was
http://www.ronpaulforums.com/showthr...st-Than-He-Was