MOSCOW. Aug 6 (Interfax) - Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev has called on Georgia to start direct negotiations with Abkhazia and South Ossetia concerning conditions for not using military force and the situation surrounding refugees.

In an interview with Georgia's Rustavi 2 television station on Tuesday, Medvedev noted that Russia does not hold any effective control over these territories and cannot assume responsibility for ensuring the safe return of refugees.

"You need to muster up the courage to launch direct consultations both on the fate of refugees and arrangements for not using military force, which, regrettably, the Georgian side has so far chosen to evade," the Russian prime minister said.

Medvedev said he disagrees with the opinion of Georgia's authorities, who think that refugees cannot return to South Ossetia because Russian forces are deployed there and that it is "Russia's problem".

"It is certainly not Russia's problem. It is a problem of internal relations between Georgia and South Ossetia