Russian President Dmitry Medvedev met at the Kremlin today with the leaders of Georgia's two separatist provinces; a clear sign Moscow could absorb the regions.

South Ossetian leader Eduard Kokoity and Abkhazian leader Sergei Bagapsh held talks with Medvedev and Russian Foreign Minister, Sergey Lavrov, after which they signed the EU-sponsored cease-fire agreement.

Lavrov said today that the world "can forget about" Georgia getting back its two separatist provinces.

In an interview with Russian media, Lavrov called the Georgian leadership "a special project of the United States."

The US has called for Russia to end its invasion of US-backed Georgia, which followed Tblisi's attack on South Ossetia last week, siding decisively with the former Soviet republic.

AP