TSKHINVALI (AP): Officials in Georgia's breakaway province of South Ossetia said Friday that Russia intends eventually to absorb it.

South Ossetian parliamentary speaker Znaur Gassiyev said that Russian President Dmitry Medvedev and the region's leader, Eduard Kokoity, discussed the future of South Ossetia earlier this week in Moscow.

Moscow has recognized South Ossetia and another separatist region of Georgia as independent, drawing criticism from the West.

Gassiyev said that Russia will absorb South Ossetia ``in several years'' or earlier. Gassiyev said that position was ``firmly stated by both leaders.''

A Kremlin spokeswoman said she had no such information and declined immediate comment.

Gassiyev's deputy, Tarzan Kokoiti, added that South Ossetians have the right to reunite with North Ossetia, which is part of Russia.

``We will live in one united Russian state,'' he added.