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Medvedev: peaceful settlement of domestic conflicts is the only way of keeping peoples

MOSCOW, August 8. /TASS/. Russia's Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev on the anniversary of Georgia's aggression against South Ossetia called the only way of keeping countries the peaceful settlement of domestic conflicts.

"Recent events prove peaceful settlement of domestic conflicts is the only way to keep peoples and countries," he wrote on Facebook on Saturday.

Medvedev said Georgia attacked South Ossetia 7 years earlier, using heavy artillery, tanks and aviation.

"Within several hours were killed and injured thousands of people, killed were Russian peacekeepers, who under the UN mandate were to observe peace there," the prime minister wrote. "The murder of them was a grave violation of the international law, a grave crime."

"Russia responded toughly but adequately, in compliance with the norms and provisions of the national and international law," wrote Medvedev, the then president of Russia. "The key objective of Russia’s actions was to prevent deaths and a humanitarian catastrophe there."

He said Russia has been seeking peace in the Caucasus.

"Nowadays we are assisting in establishment of calm and safe life in Abkhazia and South Ossetia," he wrote.