Assistant Secretary of State Daniel Fried said there is "no military solution to any of these conflicts."
The ongoing struggle for secession by the two provinces has served as a backdrop to a crisis in relations between Georgia and Russia triggered by Georgia's expulsion of four alleged Russian spies. That prompted Russia to deport a large number of Georgian citizens and to take several other punitive measures against Georgia.
(AP)
Russian Sanctions On Georgia
Georgian deportees arriving in Tbilisi on October 6 (epa)
RUSSIA DEPORTING GEORGIANS. Despite Georgia's release of four military officers accused of spying on October 2, Russia has continued its transport and postal blockade of Georgia, and has also deported hundreds of Georgians.... (more)
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MORE: Coverage of the situation in Georgian from RFE/RL's Georgian Service and in Russian from RFE/RL's Russian Service.
