S. Ossetia looks forward to joining Russia

Agency Caucasus – South Ossetia’s President Eduard Kokoity expressed on Thursday hopes of uniting with North Ossetia so that they could constitute a single unit within the Russian Federation.

"We will be part of the Russian Federation," Kokoity was reported by Reuters as saying in the Russian resort of Sochi on the Black Sea. "We will do it according to the norms of international law."

Kokoity’s wish to join Russia came days after his country and Abkhazia were recognized by Russia as independent states—a development of international significance that followed Russian troops defeating an attempt by Georgia to reclaim its power over South Ossetia by force last month. 

"Now we are an independent state and we look forward to uniting with North Ossetia and joining the Russia Federation," Kokoity said, Reuters reported.

HAS[REU]