Decision to retaliate in August 2008 helped prevent more deaths - Medvedev
TSKHINVAL. Aug 8 (Interfax) - The decision to launch a peace enforcement operation against Georgia was fair and timely, said Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev.
"Russia had to make a decision to help South Ossetia and retaliate against the aggressor," said Medvedev, recalling the August 2008 events when this republic was attacked by Georgia.
"This decision was made timely, fairly quickly, much higher casualties have been prevented," he said at a meeting with South Ossetia's President Leonid Tibilov on Wednesday.
"I had to make a difficult decision which restored balance and brought peace," the prime minister said, who was Russian president at the time.
"These decisions were right and fair, and will remain in the history of our peoples," Medvedev said.
The South Ossetian president concurred with him. "No one knows how many people would have died, had it not been for the timely decision to enforce peace on the aggressor," he said. "That was your responsible decision, so when I say I am glad to welcome you here, I mean the whole people of South Ossetia are welcoming you," Tibilov said.
South Ossetian leaders will do all they can to ensure that Russian aid goes for the benefit of South Ossetia, the republic's leader said. "Do not even doubt this," he said.
"I hope our conversation will allow to make plans and give an impetus to efforts to strengthen our sovereignty and statehood," he said.