By Grigor Hakobyan

Background: 

During last few weeks of his presidential tenure, on April 16^th, 2008,  former  president of Russia Vladimir Putin issued a decree which authorized the Russian government to establish direct relations with the ruling authorities in Abkhazia and South Ossetia, two secessionist territories of Georgia that in early 1990s lead bloody uprisings against the Georgian rule and managed to break away from Georgia as a result of the Russian support provided to them. On September 20, 1990 South Ossetia declared its  independence. Subsequently on July 23, 1992 Abkhazia declared its independence as well.