Georgia will not acknowledge de facto South Ossetia referendum, says head of ruling party - TASS

Tbilisi will not acknowledge de facto the referendum in South Ossetia on the republic’s accession to Russia, head of Georgia's ruling party Irakli Kobakhidze told reporters Saturday.

"We have our clear policy. Of course, we will not acknowledge neither de facto the authority (of South Ossetia - TASS), nor de facto elections, nor de facto the referendum (in South Ossetia on accession to Russia - TASS). Due to this our position is very definite and clear. We will adhere to this line," he said when asked a respective question.

On Friday the republic’s Central Election Commission approved and submitted to South Ossetia’s incumbent leader Anatoly Bibilov a package of documents concerning the referendum on joining Russia. The president signed a decree setting the referendum for July 17. Bibilov said on March 30 South Ossetia would take legal steps to join Russia. Alan Gagloyev who has won the presidential election in South Ossetia, said earlier in an interview with TASS that a referendum on his country’s accession to Russia should be organized when Moscow sends a signal it is time for that.

Russia acknowledged the independence of Abkhazia and South Ossetia in 2008, while Georgia cut off diplomatic relations in response.