OREANDA-NEWS. The peoples of South Ossetia and Abkhazia have the right to self-determination, Russia will never withdraw the recognition of these republics, Senator from Crimea Sergei Tsekov told RIA Novosti on Thursday.

Seven Western countries called on Russia to cancel the decision to recognize South Ossetia and Abkhazia and withdraw its armed forces from the republics. Western opponents claim that by its actions Russia violates the territorial integrity of Georgia.

"They are provocateurs. They do not want peace in this region," the parliamentarian said.

He noted that the situation was resolved in 2008, when, as a result of gross mistakes of the Georgian leadership, the republics were forced to follow their own path.

"South Ossetia and Abkhazia have every right to statehood, we will never withdraw the recognition of these republics," Tsekov said.

The legislator linked the appearance of such a statement with the next anniversary of Georgia's aggression against South Ossetia and Abkhazia in 2008.

"Look at your" eye ", you have Kosovo there, which was recognized without any referendums. And then you spoke about the right of peoples to self-determination," Tsekov reminded Western politicians of their words.

The statements of the Western countries, which called for the withdrawal of the recognition of Abkhazia and South Ossetia, are no more expensive than the paper on which they are written, Russia will not do this, Konstantin Zatulin, First Deputy Chairman of the State Duma Committee on CIS Affairs, Eurasian Integration and Relations with Compatriots, told RIA Novosti.