Georgian Foreign Minister David Zalkaliani said on Thursday that talk of a referendum in the Georgian breakaway region of South Ossetia on joining Russia was unacceptable, TASS news agency reported.
The separatist president of South Ossetia said on Wednesday that the territory would take steps in the near future to become part of Russia - which has recognised it as independent, provided it with extensive financial help, offered its people Russian passports and stationed troops there.
(Reporting by Reuters; Editing by Kevin Liffey)
