(RTTNews) - Russian President Dmitry Medvedev on Thursday defended a parliamentary bill that would permit the deployment of Russian armed forces beyond the country's borders, assuring that such a move would be initiated only in cases of extreme emergency as a "last resort" to protect Russian citizens abroad.

"Our citizens must be protected in any part of the world, and they must feel protected by the state and this must be laid in the laws," Medvedev stressed. "Such decisions will be made only when absolutely necessary."

The Russian President made the remarks while addressing members of the Federation Council, Russia's upper house of parliament, ahead of a crucial parliamentary vote on the bill. The Federation Council votes on the measure on Friday.

Medvedev had submitted the bill to the parliament in August, just after the first anniversary of Russia's five-day war with Georgia. The bill was approved by the lower house of the Russian Parliament, the State Duma, on October 23. But the measure has to be approved by the Federation Council before Medvedev can sign it into law.

Under Russia's current law, the president is permitted to deploy the country's security forces abroad only for fighting terrorism. The latest bill was prompted by the war with Georgia, which erupted in 2008 August after Georgian troops attacked South Ossetia in spite of the presence of Russian peacekeepers there.
Moscow had responded aggressively to the Georgian move to bring about constitutional order in the breakaway region of South Ossetia by force. The massive Russian counter-offensive drove Georgian troops out of the area and Moscow took control over South Ossetia and Abkhazia, another breakaway Georgian region.

Since then, Russia has recognized the independence of the two Georgian breakaway regions despite objections from Western countries and denied EU monitors access to the two regions.

Russian media reports on Thursday indicated that the bill submitted for parliamentary approval by Medvedev allows the deployment of armed forces abroad to repel an attack on Russian troops deployed outside the country, repel or prevent an armed attack on another state asking Russia for military assistance, defend Russian nationals abroad from an armed attack, fight sea piracy and ensure the safety of commercial shipping.

However, the bill stipulates that the deployment of Russian troops abroad is subject to approval by the country's upper house of parliament, reports added.

by RTT Staff Writer

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