On August 25, Russia recognised the independence of the territories of South Ossetia and Abkhazia. It was not a step taken lightly. But all possible outcomes had to be weighed against a sober understanding of the situation - the histories of the Abkhaz and Ossetian peoples, their freely expressed desire for independence, and inter-national precedents for such a move, writes Dmitry Medvedev.
Not all of the world's nations have statehood. Many exist happily within boundaries shared with other nations. The Russian Federation is an example of largely harmonious coexistence by many dozens of nations and nationalities.
