South Ossetia is not on the Russian agenda

Russian President Vladimir Putin gestures while speaking during his annual call-in show in Moscow, Russia, Thursday, April 14, 2016. The Kremlin has been sifting through more than 1 million questions from across the country to get Putin ready for the television marathon. (Mikhail Klimentyev/Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP)

Russian President Vladimir Putin said that the issue of South Ossetia’s accession to Russia is not discussed, after his annual call-in show.

He said “We do not consider our relations with South Ossetia in such context,” and added “He (Leonid Tibilov, the head of the disputed South Ossetia) expressed his attitude to the problem saying that the people of South Ossetia want such a referendum to be held, we cannot oppose this. There are no reasons other than the interests of South Ossetia’s people that we keep in mind,” TASS reported.

Leonid Tibilov previously declared that South Ossetia is ready to be part of Russian Federation and there might be a referendum on this issue.

Russian leader Putin expressed his thoughts on the issue and accused Mikheil Saakashvili, the former president of Georgia about the loss of Georgia.

“I have many times expressed the position on this issue. I think this is a strategic mistake of the former Georgian President, who went on a famous military action, absolutely unfounded and as a result lost this territory is his fault,” Ria Novosti reported.

South Ossetia is a breakaway region of Georgia. Five-day war occurred in 2008 between Georgia and Russia over the territory. The region is recognized by Russia, Nicaragua, Venezuela and some Pacific island states.