“Russiahas justarrived, ” President BagapshtoldNEWSWEEK. The Westshould “stophaving any illusions about what they call Russianoccupiers leaving any time soon.”
Russian President Dmitriy Medvedev signed agreements in the Kremlin with Abkhaz leader Sergei Bagapsh and South Ossetian leader Eduard Kokoity that give Russia responsibility for defense of the borders between Georgia and the two breakaway republics.
VOA: standard.2009.04.30
But Sergei Bagapsh, the de facto president, has ruled out replacing or even altering the Russian peacekeeping force.