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Russians halt Nato co-operation Russians halt Nato co-operation
(about 4 hours later)
Russia has told Nato that it is halting military co-operation over the continuing crisis in Georgia, an alliance spokeswoman has said. Russia has told Nato it is halting all military co-operation, the bloc says, as the crisis over Georgia deepens.
The move follows a statement by Nato that there would be no "business as usual" with Russia unless its troops pulled out of Georgia. The Russian move follows a statement by Nato that there would be no "business as usual" with Moscow unless its troops pulled out of Georgia.
However, the alliance had stopped short of freezing co-operation with Moscow.However, the alliance had stopped short of freezing co-operation with Moscow.
Meanwhile, Georgia's breakaway regions of South Ossetia and Abkhazia have held mass rallies calling for independence. Meanwhile, a top Russian general said that the withdrawal of the bulk of Russia's troops would be complete in about 10 days.
Gen Vladimir Boldyrev, commander of the Russian ground forces in the region, referred to the pullout of troops "sent to reinforce Russian peacekeepers" in Georgia's breakaway region of South Ossetia.
It was not immediately clear how Gen Boldyrev's comments would fit in with a previous Russian commitment to withdraw its forces to behind a buffer zone around South Ossetia by the end of Friday.
Russia needs co-operation with Nato no more than Nato needs Russia Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov
Moscow has said it intends to keep some 500 troops in what it called a "zone of responsibility" as part of a peacekeeping mission.
In a separate development, South Ossetia and Abkhazia - another Georgia's breakaway region - held mass rallies calling for independence.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Moscow's response to their pleas would depend on the conduct of Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili.Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Moscow's response to their pleas would depend on the conduct of Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili.
Decision 'noted' Lavrov's warning
Nato spokeswoman Carmen Romero said Russia's defence ministry had taken a decision "to halt international military co-operation events between Russia and Nato countries until further instructions". Nato spokeswoman Carmen Romero said the alliance "takes note" of Russia's decision to halt co-operation but had no further reaction to it.
She said the alliance "takes note" of the decision but had no further reaction to it. Speaking to reporters in the Russian Black Sea resort of Sochi, Mr Lavrov said Russia was not going "shut any doors" to future co-operation with Nato.
However, the US described the development as "unfortunate", the news agency AFP reported. But he warned that the alliance had to decide what was more important to it - supporting Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili or developing a partnership with Russia.
Russian TV showed a huge crowd at the rally in Abkhazia Advertisement
Latest footage of Russian troops near Igoeti in Georgia.
"It all depends not on us but on those who make the decisions on what the priorities are for the leaders of Nato in foreign policy," Mr Lavrov said.
Washington played down the significance of the Russian move, saying Nato had already effectively frozen co-operation in protests at Moscow's continuing military presence in Georgia.
"For all practical purposes, military-to-military co-operation had really already ended with the Russians," US National Security Council spokesman Gordon Johndroe said.
Under the 2002 agreement that set up the Nato-Russia Council, the former adversaries began several co-operation projects.Under the 2002 agreement that set up the Nato-Russia Council, the former adversaries began several co-operation projects.
These included sharing expertise to combat heroin trafficking from Afghanistan, developing battlefield anti-missile technology, joint military exercises and help with rescue at sea. These included allowing Nato to transport by land through Russia non-military supplies for the bloc's operation in Afghanistan, developing battlefield anti-missile technology, joint military exercises and help with rescue at sea.
Carmen Romero said she was not aware of any Nato-Russia events scheduled before early September.
At an emergency meeting on Tuesday, Nato suspended formal contacts with Russia because of the Russian military presence in Georgia.
Security zoneSecurity zone
Meanwhile, Russia says it will keep troops in a security zone around South Ossetia. It is still not clear to what extent Russian military forces have withdrawn from Georgia.
It will extend several kilometres into Georgia proper. Russia also plans to strengthen its South Ossetia force. Russian TV showed a huge crowd at the rally in Abkhazia
"Tomorrow, eight checkpoints will be established in the security zone in which 500 peacekeepers will be deployed, no more than that," said Mr Lavrov, quoted by Reuters news agency.
It is still not clear to what extent Russian military forces have withdrawn from Georgia, despite Moscow's promise to pull out most of its troops by the end of Friday.
It is not yet clear to what extent Russian troops have withdrawn
Russian news agencies say an armoured column, consisting of more than 40 vehicles, has passed through South Ossetia, on its way to the Russian border.Russian news agencies say an armoured column, consisting of more than 40 vehicles, has passed through South Ossetia, on its way to the Russian border.
A BBC correspondent in the Georgian village of Igoeti, just 35km (21 miles) from the capital Tbilisi, said he saw the Russian military pulling back towards South Ossetia early on Thursday afternoon. Russian forces were also reported to be still dug in around Georgia's main Black Sea port of Poti.A BBC correspondent in the Georgian village of Igoeti, just 35km (21 miles) from the capital Tbilisi, said he saw the Russian military pulling back towards South Ossetia early on Thursday afternoon. Russian forces were also reported to be still dug in around Georgia's main Black Sea port of Poti.
Russia poured troops into Georgia after Georgian forces tried to retake South Ossetia on 7 August. Russian-led peacekeeping troops had been deployed there since a war in the early 1990s.Russia poured troops into Georgia after Georgian forces tried to retake South Ossetia on 7 August. Russian-led peacekeeping troops had been deployed there since a war in the early 1990s.
Thousands of people attended pro-independence rallies in the Abkhaz capital Sukhumi and war-ravaged South Ossetian capital Tskhinvali on Thursday.Thousands of people attended pro-independence rallies in the Abkhaz capital Sukhumi and war-ravaged South Ossetian capital Tskhinvali on Thursday.
The world-renowned conductor Valery Gergiyev - himself an Ossetian - gave a concert in the devastated South Ossetian capital of Tskhinvali, with his St Petersburg orchestra on Thursday.The world-renowned conductor Valery Gergiyev - himself an Ossetian - gave a concert in the devastated South Ossetian capital of Tskhinvali, with his St Petersburg orchestra on Thursday.