Medvedev denies pressuring Minsk to recognize separatists
Russian president has denied reports that Russia has tried to persuade Belarus or any other country to recognize Georgia`s breakaway regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia as independent states.
Russia recognized the former Georgian republics after a brief war with Georgia in the summer of 2008.
`I never approached the leader of Belarus or any other Belarusian official, neither directly or indirectly, neither publicly nor privately, with such a proposal`, Medvedev said in response to a Belarusian reporter`s question.
He also ruled out encouraging other countries to recognize the republics. Russia`s recognition step has so far been replicated by only Nicaragua and Venezuela.
He said Russia`s decision to recognize the republics `was very difficult... It was taken only after Georgia committed an act of aggression against the two territories, and was done to protect citizens living there, including Russians, and to avert such conflicts in the future.`
Medvedev tried to convince the international society that he never interfered in the internal affairs of Abkhazia and so-called South Ossetia.
Russian president has denied reports that Russia has tried to persuade Belarus or any other country to recognize Georgia`s breakaway regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia as independent states. 
