Russia has signed border defense agreements with Georgia’s breakaway regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia, Russian news agencies reported Thursday.

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev (C), leader of Abkhazia Sergei Bagapsh (L) and leader of South Ossetia Eduard Kokoity take part in a joint news conference at the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia, April 30, 2009. Russia signed border defense agreements with Georgia’s breakaway regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia, Russian news agencies reported Thursday.

The agreements, signed by Russian President Dmitry Medvedev and two leaders of Abkhazia and South Ossetia, state that the two regions will delegate their border guard duties to Russia until they establish their own border security agencies, the Interfax news agency reported.

Russia will help train personnel and create border guard agencies in Abkhazia and South Ossetia, the official Itar-Tass news agency reported.

The agreements, intended for five years, emphasized that joint efforts taken to protect the borders of the two regions are not aimed against other countries. They also do not encroach on the rights and obligations of the sides in compliance with other international treaties.

Medvedev, after signing the agreements, also described the upcoming NATO drills in Georgia as “open provocation,” Interfax reported.

The exercises, slated from May 6 to June 1, “are an open provocation, however someone might be trying to persuade us of theopposite,” Medvedev said.

“Military exercises cannot be held on the territory, where the war had been recently waged,” he said. “Officials, who decided to hold it, will be held responsible for a possible negative aftermath,” Itar-Tass quoted him as saying.

Medvedev also warned of the need to avoid possible provocations.

“Though the situation after Russia’s decision (to recognize the independence of South Ossetia and Abkhazia) has changed, nevertheless provocations are probable all the same, and they should be averted,” he said.

Georgia launched an assault on South Ossetia last year. Russia responded with a counter-offensive that quickly drove Georgian forces back. It then recognized South Ossetia and Abkhazia as independent states.

Medvedev said on April 17 that the planned NATO exercises are building up tensions in the region and Russia will closely watch the drills and act accordingly.

However, Russia’s North Caucasian military district and its bases in Abkhazia and South Ossetia will not be put on alert for the upcoming exercises, Interfax cited a senior Russian military officer as saying.

“The Defense Ministry will be monitoring the upcoming exercises although there will be no Russian military observers there,” he said.

The exercises will be conducted at the Georgian military base of Vaziani, 14 km east of Tbilisi, the capital of Georgia. More than 1,000 soldiers from about 20 countries are expected to participate in the drills.

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