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| Nato cools relations with Russia | Nato cools relations with Russia |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Nato foreign ministers have said they "cannot continue business as usual" with Russia, and demanded that Moscow pull troops from Georgia immediately. | |
| The declaration followed talks in Brussels about the conflict between Moscow and Tbilisi over Georgia's breakaway region of South Ossetia. | |
| Some Russian troops have been seen leaving the Georgian town of Gori. | Some Russian troops have been seen leaving the Georgian town of Gori. |
| But Georgia's interior ministry dismissed the move as a "show aimed at creating the illusion of a withdrawal". | But Georgia's interior ministry dismissed the move as a "show aimed at creating the illusion of a withdrawal". |
| Russian officials told the BBC that the vehicles and 100 men were heading for the South Ossetian capital of Tskhinvali and then on to Vladikavkaz in neighbouring North Ossetia - a province of Russia. | Russian officials told the BBC that the vehicles and 100 men were heading for the South Ossetian capital of Tskhinvali and then on to Vladikavkaz in neighbouring North Ossetia - a province of Russia. |
| See map of the region | See map of the region |
| However, BBC correspondents on the ground say there are still Russian artillery and troop positions dug in all around Gori, the largest Georgian town close to the South Ossetia border. In addition, there are Russian checkpoints about 35km (22 miles) from the capital, Tbilisi. | |
| Both sides have accused the other of violating an EU-brokered peace plan that was signed by the presidents of Georgia and Russia last week. | Both sides have accused the other of violating an EU-brokered peace plan that was signed by the presidents of Georgia and Russia last week. |
| Buffer zone | Buffer zone |
| Following the crisis talks in Brussels, the 26 foreign ministers said in a joint statement that they could not have normal relations with Russia as long as Moscow had troops in Georgia. | |
| PEACE PLAN No more use of forceStop all military actions for goodFree access to humanitarian aidGeorgian troops return to their places of permanent deploymentRussian troops to return to pre-conflict positionsInternational talks about security in South Ossetia and Abkhazia Nato's Russia dilemmaDay-by-day: Georgia-Russia crisisGeorgia left reeling "The Alliance is considering seriously the implications of Russia's actions for the Nato-Russia relationship," the statement said, read out by Nato Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer. "We have determined that we cannot continue with business as usual." | |
| Mr de Hoop Scheffer added that he could not see how the Nato-Russia Council - set up in 2002 as a framework for dialogue - could convene at this time. | |
| But he said lines of communication would not be abandoned. | |
| "The future of our relations with Russia will depend on the concrete actions Russia will take to abide by the words of President Dmitry Medvedev [regarding the peace plan], which is not happening at the moment," Mr de Hoop Scheffer said. | |
| He also said that the member states had agreed to set up a Nato-Georgia commission to strengthen ties with Tbilisi, but stopped short of giving a timetable for Georgia's accession to Nato. | |
| HAVE YOUR SAYThe sight of GWB [US President George Bush] complaining about Russia's "disproportionate use of force" is hilarious Max, London Send us your comments | |
| The Russian military has warned that the withdrawal process will be slow until the weekend at least, and that troops will remain in an undefined buffer zone around South Ossetia. | The Russian military has warned that the withdrawal process will be slow until the weekend at least, and that troops will remain in an undefined buffer zone around South Ossetia. |
| It says such a move is permitted under the ceasefire deal which allows Russia to take additional security measures until international peacekeepers are deployed. | It says such a move is permitted under the ceasefire deal which allows Russia to take additional security measures until international peacekeepers are deployed. |
| But Georgia says Moscow is going much further and that Russian troops have seized control of a key commercial port in Poti in an attempt to cripple the Georgian economy. | But Georgia says Moscow is going much further and that Russian troops have seized control of a key commercial port in Poti in an attempt to cripple the Georgian economy. |
| The Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) said Russia and Georgia have agreed to allow 20 extra military observers to be deployed in and around South Ossetia. | The Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) said Russia and Georgia have agreed to allow 20 extra military observers to be deployed in and around South Ossetia. |
| The OSCE, which was meeting on the sidelines of the Nato talks, already has nine observers there. | The OSCE, which was meeting on the sidelines of the Nato talks, already has nine observers there. |
| Earlier, in an apparent goodwill gesture Russia exchanged 15 Georgian prisoners for five of its own troops at a Russian checkpoint in Igoeti, about 30km (18 miles) from Georgia's capital. | |
| Back to story | Back to story |