Russian President visits South Ossetia

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Russian President Dimitry Medvedev has visited the breakaway Georgian region of South Ossetia. Monday's trip was designed to assert Russia's ties to the region.

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev (C) waves to the crowd flanked by President of Georgia's breakaway South Ossetia region Eduard Kokoity during a visit inTskhinvali in South Ossetia. (AFP/Pool/Vladimir Rodionov)

It was Medvedev's first trip since Russian troops repelled a Georgian attempt to retake the breakaway province last August.

The Russian President met with the Region's leaders and visited a Russian military base in Tskhinvali.

Medvedev said his country would develop economic and defense cooperation with the region. He added that Russia was prepared to provide South Ossetia with a range of projects for economic and social reconstruction.

Dimitry Medvedev, Russian President, said, "There is a need to support and cooperate in the defense sphere, we have agreement about this. This is why I think that during today's talks, during my short visit

to South Ossetia, we may discuss our mutual cooperation. And we should also talk about how to develop our relationship."

Also on Monday, the Georgian President criticized Medvedev's visit, calling it an "attempt to stoke up regional tensions."

Georgia and Russia fought a five-day war last August, when Georgia attacked South Ossetia to retake the region which borders Russia.

South Ossetia and another Georgian region, Abkhazia, have long had de-facto independence from Georgia with Russia backing their governments.