TBILISI, July 22 (RIA Novosti) - Georgia accused Russia on Wednesday of seeking to further destabilize the situation in the Caucasus after a visit by Russia's top security officials to the former Georgian republic of South Ossetia.
Russia's general prosecutor along with the emergencies and interior ministers visited South Ossetia on Tuesday.
Yury Chaika, Sergei Shoigu and Rashid Nurgaliyev's visit came after President Medvedev's recent controversial tour of the region.
The Georgian Foreign Ministry described the visit as a provocation, adding that Russia "is preventing the establishment of peace and stability in the Caucasus."
It said the visit was yet another attempt to lend legitimacy to "the puppet regimes created on occupied Georgian territories" and that Russia "is ignoring the generally accepted norms and principles of international law."
The Russian officials attended the opening of two rural police stations, while the emergencies minister presented South Ossetia's civil defense ministry with two fire engines and other emergency response equipment.
The Russian dignitaries also handed over textbooks for secondary school students.
Russia recognized South Ossetia as an independent state, along with the former republic of Abkhazia last year after Georgia launched an attack on South Ossetia, leading to a five-day war between Tbilisi and Russia.
