Moscow says it hopes that the European Union will change its stance on events in South Ossetia. Andrey Nesterenko, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister, said on Friday that the EU should seek to avoid a possible standoff with Russia.

“We hope that common sense will prevail over emotions and that EU leaders will find strength to renounce unilateral assessment of the conflict and will give an independent, objective description of the situation and its causes,” he said.

Moscow also expressed hopes that the UN Security Council will hear Abkhazia and South Ossetia's opinions when the settlement of the Georgian-Abkhaz and Georgian-Ossetian conflicts is discussed.

“In the future, the discussion of this issue can't go without Abkhaz and South Ossetian representatives participating,” said Nesterenko.

Meanwhile, Nesterenko has announced that the Collective Security Treaty Organisation (CSTO) will discuss Russia's recognition of South Ossetia and Abkhazia at an upcoming session of its council in Moscow on September 5.