TSKHINVAL, May 12. /TASS/. Speaker of South Ossetia’s parliament Anatoly Bibilov said on Tuesday that recognizing South Ossetia’s independence by the self-proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic is a response to South Ossetia’s recognizing DPR last summer.

"Recognizing is another step towards further development of mutual relations between the republics; our relations are approaching a new level, and the basis for that was opening of diplomatic representations in DPR and South Ossetia," he said.

The republics will sign "an intergovernmental agreement and inter-ministerial agreements," he said. "We plan offering mutual assistance, including military assistance, as we sign a respective agreement.".