Russia will change its policy towards the Georgian breakaway regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia if Kosovo is recognized as independent, Interfax news agency quoted the Russian foreign ministry as saying on Friday.

"The declaration and recognition of Kosovo independence will force Russia to adjust its line towards Abkhazia and South Ossetia," Interfax quoted a foreign ministry statement as saying.

The statement did not say if the adjustment would involve Russia giving diplomatic recognition to the two regions, which broke away from Georgian rule in fighting in the 1990s and are now backed by Moscow.

Kosovo's Albanian majority is expected to unilaterally declare independence from Serbia within days. Russia backs its ally Serbia in opposing the move.

Russian officials have linked Kosovo's status to ex-Soviet separatist regions, saying any recognition of the Serbian province as an independent state will create a legal precedent that will be followed by others.

President Vladimir Putin said on Thursday he had a plan on how to respond if Western states recognize Kosovo's independence. He did not disclose any details of the plan.

Agencies

(China Daily 02/16/2008 page5)