BRUSSELS, June 9 (KUNA) -- NATO does not recognize the elections held Sunday in the Georgian region of South Ossetia, Secretary General of the 28-member alliance Anders Fogh Rasmussen said, in a statement here Monday.
"This election does not contribute to a peaceful and lasting settlement of the situation in Georgia. NATO allies do not recognize the Abkhazia and South Ossetia regions of Georgia as independent states," he noted.
Allied defense ministers, on June 4, reiterated their full support for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Georgia within its internationally recognized borders, added Rasmussen.
South Ossetia broke away from Georgia after a brief 1992-93 war. Russia and a few other countries have recognized South Ossetia's independence.(end) nk.wsa