U.S. President Barack Obama’s visit to Moscow proved “Georgian issue” no more hinders Russia-West relations, RF Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said in an interview with Vesti TV channel.

According to him, Russia was not planning to recognize independence of Abkhazia and South Ossetia, but did so to save the people. “First of all we were concerned with saving people. But further made a decision of recognition, when it became clear that mere suppression of aggression and leaving them within Georgian borders is insufficient, as under the incumbent president the two republics are at stake,” Lavrov declared.

He stated that the “information war goes on” as “echo of old thinking”. However, the “reality is irreversible” – “it is there and you can do nothing about it”. While, currently it is being openly admitted and “it is an uneasy process for those choosing not the truth, justice or interest’s side during the aggression, but the ideology of blocking policy,” Lavrov added. NATO belongs here, “as an organization, NATO took the fact-denying side, and absorbed the Tbilisi-produced lies, as well as behaved pursuing the old patters, those of cold war.”

The Minister emphasized NATO was supporting the one “who let everybody down, committing an unforgivable adventure that cost lives and turned out to tragedy for Georgia and Georgian people we deeply respect. Neither Saakashvili, nor his prompter will succeed in putting us at odds with them.”

Lavrov concluded that “Saakashvili is responsible for opening of hostilities and attack on South Ossetia and planning of similar scenario for Abkhazia.” “Those proving the contrary the whole year – were to put it mildly telling falsehood, and were doing so for their ideological interests. Say, 'Saakashvili’s’ project – it was explicitly ideological and virtual, but eventually failed.”