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| West condemns Russia over Georgia | West condemns Russia over Georgia |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Western leaders have condemned strongly Russia's decision to recognise the independence of the breakaway Georgian regions of South Ossetia and Abkhazia. | Western leaders have condemned strongly Russia's decision to recognise the independence of the breakaway Georgian regions of South Ossetia and Abkhazia. |
| US President George Bush warned his Russian counterpart, Dmitry Medvedev, that his "irresponsible decision" was exacerbating tensions in the region. | US President George Bush warned his Russian counterpart, Dmitry Medvedev, that his "irresponsible decision" was exacerbating tensions in the region. |
| Georgia said Russia was seeking to "change Europe's borders by force". | Georgia said Russia was seeking to "change Europe's borders by force". |
| Earlier, Mr Medvedev told the BBC that Russia had been obliged to act because of Georgia's "genocide" of separatists. | Earlier, Mr Medvedev told the BBC that Russia had been obliged to act because of Georgia's "genocide" of separatists. |
| This is an unconcealed annexation of these territories, which are a part of Georgia Giga BokeriaGeorgian Deputy Foreign Minister Foreign reaction in quotesUK urges Russia to 'abide by law'Q&A: Conflict in Georgia | This is an unconcealed annexation of these territories, which are a part of Georgia Giga BokeriaGeorgian Deputy Foreign Minister Foreign reaction in quotesUK urges Russia to 'abide by law'Q&A: Conflict in Georgia |
| He also said Moscow had felt obliged to recognise South Ossetia and Abkhazia as other countries had done with Kosovo earlier this year. | He also said Moscow had felt obliged to recognise South Ossetia and Abkhazia as other countries had done with Kosovo earlier this year. |
| The separatist authorities in Abkhazia and South Ossetia, which have had de facto independence since the early 1990s, have thanked Russia. | The separatist authorities in Abkhazia and South Ossetia, which have had de facto independence since the early 1990s, have thanked Russia. |
| Fighting between Russia and Georgia began on 7 August after the Georgian military tried to retake South Ossetia by force. | Fighting between Russia and Georgia began on 7 August after the Georgian military tried to retake South Ossetia by force. |
| Russian forces subsequently launched a counter-attack and the conflict ended with the ejection of Georgian troops from both South Ossetia and Abkhazia and an EU-brokered ceasefire. | Russian forces subsequently launched a counter-attack and the conflict ended with the ejection of Georgian troops from both South Ossetia and Abkhazia and an EU-brokered ceasefire. |
| 'No easy choice' | 'No easy choice' |
| In an announcement on Russian state television, President Medvedev said he had signed a decree formally recognising Abkhazia and South Ossetia as independent states and called on other states to follow his country's example. | In an announcement on Russian state television, President Medvedev said he had signed a decree formally recognising Abkhazia and South Ossetia as independent states and called on other states to follow his country's example. |
| Mr Medvedev said he had "taken into account the expression of free will by the Ossetian and Abkhaz peoples" and accused Georgia of failing over many years to negotiate a peaceful settlement. | Mr Medvedev said he had "taken into account the expression of free will by the Ossetian and Abkhaz peoples" and accused Georgia of failing over many years to negotiate a peaceful settlement. |
| SOUTH OSSETIA & ABKHAZIA South Ossetia Population: About 70,000 (before recent conflict)Capital: TskhinvaliPresident: Eduard Kokoity Abkhazia Population: About 250,000 (2003)Capital: SukhumiPresident: Sergei Bagapsh Profile: South OssetiaProfile: Abkhazia | SOUTH OSSETIA & ABKHAZIA South Ossetia Population: About 70,000 (before recent conflict)Capital: TskhinvaliPresident: Eduard Kokoity Abkhazia Population: About 250,000 (2003)Capital: SukhumiPresident: Sergei Bagapsh Profile: South OssetiaProfile: Abkhazia |
| "That was no easy choice to make, but it is the sole chance of saving people's lives," he added. | "That was no easy choice to make, but it is the sole chance of saving people's lives," he added. |
| International dismay at Russia's declaration came almost immediately. | International dismay at Russia's declaration came almost immediately. |
| President Bush said Russia should "reconsider this irresponsible decision" and "live up to its international commitments". | President Bush said Russia should "reconsider this irresponsible decision" and "live up to its international commitments". |
| "This decision is inconsistent with numerous United Nations Security Council resolutions that Russia has voted for in the past, and is also inconsistent with the French-brokered six-point ceasefire agreement which President Medvedev signed," he said in a statement. | "This decision is inconsistent with numerous United Nations Security Council resolutions that Russia has voted for in the past, and is also inconsistent with the French-brokered six-point ceasefire agreement which President Medvedev signed," he said in a statement. |
| "Russia's action only exacerbates tensions and complicates diplomatic negotiations," he added. | "Russia's action only exacerbates tensions and complicates diplomatic negotiations," he added. |
| "In accordance with United Nations Security Council resolutions that remain in force, Abkhazia and South Ossetia are within the internationally recognised borders of Georgia, and they must remain so." | "In accordance with United Nations Security Council resolutions that remain in force, Abkhazia and South Ossetia are within the internationally recognised borders of Georgia, and they must remain so." |
| France, the current holder of the presidency of the European Union, also condemned Russia's decision and called for a political solution. | France, the current holder of the presidency of the European Union, also condemned Russia's decision and called for a political solution. |
| Nato's Secretary-General, Jaap de Hoop Scheffer, said the announcement was a "direct violation" of numerous UN Security Council resolutions on Georgia which Russia itself had endorsed. | Nato's Secretary-General, Jaap de Hoop Scheffer, said the announcement was a "direct violation" of numerous UN Security Council resolutions on Georgia which Russia itself had endorsed. |
| Earlier, Russia cancelled a visit by Mr de Hoop Scheffer, one of a series of measures to suspend co-operation with the alliance. | Earlier, Russia cancelled a visit by Mr de Hoop Scheffer, one of a series of measures to suspend co-operation with the alliance. |
| Russia's ambassador to Nato said the trip would be delayed until relations between the two were clarified. | Russia's ambassador to Nato said the trip would be delayed until relations between the two were clarified. |
| 'Completely illegal' | 'Completely illegal' |
| Later, Georgia's President Mikhail Saakashvili accused Russia of trying to "break the Georgian state, undermine the fundamental values of Georgia, and to wipe Georgia from the map". | Later, Georgia's President Mikhail Saakashvili accused Russia of trying to "break the Georgian state, undermine the fundamental values of Georgia, and to wipe Georgia from the map". |
| President Saakashvili's televised address | |
| "Today's step by Russia is completely illegal and will have no legal basis, neither for Georgia nor for the rest of the world," he said. | "Today's step by Russia is completely illegal and will have no legal basis, neither for Georgia nor for the rest of the world," he said. |
| "Russia has made an extraordinary strategic mistake and has badly damaged its place in modern international relations." | "Russia has made an extraordinary strategic mistake and has badly damaged its place in modern international relations." |
| Mr Saakashvili described the declaration as "the first attempt in Europe after Nazi Germany and the Stalinist Soviet Union to... change the borders of Europe by force". | Mr Saakashvili described the declaration as "the first attempt in Europe after Nazi Germany and the Stalinist Soviet Union to... change the borders of Europe by force". |
| He then promised Georgians would "continue our struggle to restore peacefully our territorial integrity" and eventually "defeat the evil". | He then promised Georgians would "continue our struggle to restore peacefully our territorial integrity" and eventually "defeat the evil". |
| In the South Ossetia and Abkhazia, however, Moscow's move was warmly welcomed. | In the South Ossetia and Abkhazia, however, Moscow's move was warmly welcomed. |
| The leader of South Ossetia's separatist government, Eduard Kokoity, said he would ask Moscow to set up a military base on his territory. | The leader of South Ossetia's separatist government, Eduard Kokoity, said he would ask Moscow to set up a military base on his territory. |
| In the South Ossetian capital of Tskhinvali there were scenes of jubilation while residents in Abkhazia took to the streets to celebrate the news, firing into the air. | In the South Ossetian capital of Tskhinvali there were scenes of jubilation while residents in Abkhazia took to the streets to celebrate the news, firing into the air. |
| Cold War fears | Cold War fears |
| In an interview with the BBC at his residency in Sochi, on the border with Abkhazia, Mr Medvedev later said Russia had been obliged to act following a "genocide" started by Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili against separatists in South Ossetia in August. | In an interview with the BBC at his residency in Sochi, on the border with Abkhazia, Mr Medvedev later said Russia had been obliged to act following a "genocide" started by Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili against separatists in South Ossetia in August. |
| Russian president speaks to BBC | Russian president speaks to BBC |
| The president compared Russia's recognition of Abkhazia and South Ossetia to the West's recognition of Kosovo, which unilaterally declared independence from Serbia in February 2008. | The president compared Russia's recognition of Abkhazia and South Ossetia to the West's recognition of Kosovo, which unilaterally declared independence from Serbia in February 2008. |
| He also denied that Russia had breached the ceasefire agreement with Georgia, saying pursuing the security of the two regions included addressing their status. | He also denied that Russia had breached the ceasefire agreement with Georgia, saying pursuing the security of the two regions included addressing their status. |
| "The most important thing was to prevent a humanitarian catastrophe to save the lives of people for whom we are responsible, because most of them they are Russian citizens," he said. "So we had to take a decision recognising the two states as independent." | "The most important thing was to prevent a humanitarian catastrophe to save the lives of people for whom we are responsible, because most of them they are Russian citizens," he said. "So we had to take a decision recognising the two states as independent." |
| Mr Medvedev said relations with the West were deteriorating sharply and that a new Cold War could not be excluded, but that Russia did not want one. | Mr Medvedev said relations with the West were deteriorating sharply and that a new Cold War could not be excluded, but that Russia did not want one. |
| "There are no winners in a Cold War," he said. | "There are no winners in a Cold War," he said. |
| Although most of Russia's forces pulled out of the rest of Georgia last Friday, it is maintaining a presence both within the two rebel regions and in buffer zones imposed round their boundaries. | Although most of Russia's forces pulled out of the rest of Georgia last Friday, it is maintaining a presence both within the two rebel regions and in buffer zones imposed round their boundaries. |
| HAVE YOUR SAYMaking peace is like clapping your hands. You can't clap with 1 handMaxMaxmilianMaximusI], Indian Caesar in, Singapore Send us your comments | HAVE YOUR SAYMaking peace is like clapping your hands. You can't clap with 1 handMaxMaxmilianMaximusI], Indian Caesar in, Singapore Send us your comments |
| Some Russian troops also continue to operate near the Black Sea port of Poti, south of Abkhazia, where Russia says it will carry out regular inspections of cargo. | Some Russian troops also continue to operate near the Black Sea port of Poti, south of Abkhazia, where Russia says it will carry out regular inspections of cargo. |
| The US said on Tuesday that its warships would deliver aid to Georgia's port of Poti, which is under Russian control. The move could mean US and Russian forces coming face to face. | The US said on Tuesday that its warships would deliver aid to Georgia's port of Poti, which is under Russian control. The move could mean US and Russian forces coming face to face. |
| Earlier, the head of European security organisation, the OSCE, Alexander Stubb, accused Russia of "trying to empty" South Ossetia of Georgians. | Earlier, the head of European security organisation, the OSCE, Alexander Stubb, accused Russia of "trying to empty" South Ossetia of Georgians. |
| A South Ossetian commander told the BBC that many Georgian civilians had already left of their own accord, because they were scared of the guns. | A South Ossetian commander told the BBC that many Georgian civilians had already left of their own accord, because they were scared of the guns. |