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| Russia hits back at G7 criticism | Russia hits back at G7 criticism |
| (40 minutes later) | |
| Criticism by the G7 group of nations of Russia's actions in Georgia is biased and groundless, Russian officials say. | Criticism by the G7 group of nations of Russia's actions in Georgia is biased and groundless, Russian officials say. |
| The G7 was trying to justify Georgian aggression towards the breakaway regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia, Russia's Foreign Ministry said. | The G7 was trying to justify Georgian aggression towards the breakaway regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia, Russia's Foreign Ministry said. |
| Moscow's decision to recognise the two regions as independent was labelled a breach of international law by the G7. | |
| Meanwhile, a rights group has said UN satellite images prove ethnic Georgian villages in South Ossetia were torched. | |
| Human Rights Watch says the pictures of five villages near the South Ossetian capital, Tskhinvali, are "compelling evidence of war crimes and grave human rights abuses". | |
| The organisation called on the Russian government to prosecute those responsible. | |
| Putin 'not rational' | |
| Russia's Foreign Ministry accused the G7 of making "baseless assertions about Russia undermining Georgia's territorial integrity". | |
| "This step is biased and is aimed at justifying the aggressive actions of Georgia," the ministry said. | "This step is biased and is aimed at justifying the aggressive actions of Georgia," the ministry said. |
| Although Russia is not part of the G7, it has close ties with the bloc and is a member of its sister grouping, the G8. | Although Russia is not part of the G7, it has close ties with the bloc and is a member of its sister grouping, the G8. |
| The statement comes as officials in the Moscow-backed governments of both provinces hinted at closer ties with Russia. | The statement comes as officials in the Moscow-backed governments of both provinces hinted at closer ties with Russia. |
| South Ossetia's parliamentary speaker Znaur Gassiyev said Russia would absorb the region within "several years", according to a report by the Associated Press. 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 Q&A: Conflict in Georgia href="/1/hi/world/europe/7586438.stm">Voices from the Caucasus conflict class="" href="/1/hi/world/europe/7586662.stm">Russia's propaganda warfare | |
| He said the move had been agreed at high-level talks in Moscow earlier this week. | He said the move had been agreed at high-level talks in Moscow earlier this week. |
| The Russian Interfax news agency reported that Moscow will sign an agreement next week allowing it to set up military bases in the region. | The Russian Interfax news agency reported that Moscow will sign an agreement next week allowing it to set up military bases in the region. |
| And Interfax also quoted Abkhazia's foreign minister, Sergei Shamba, as saying his province "may become part of the Union State of Russia and Belarus". | And Interfax also quoted Abkhazia's foreign minister, Sergei Shamba, as saying his province "may become part of the Union State of Russia and Belarus". |
| The Kremlin has not yet commented on the reports, though the Foreign Ministry is due to hold a press conference later. | The Kremlin has not yet commented on the reports, though the Foreign Ministry is due to hold a press conference later. |
| The claims come a day after Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin stoked up the war of words with the US. | The claims come a day after Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin stoked up the war of words with the US. |
| He told CNN there was a "suspicion" that the Georgian conflict was created by someone in the US in the hope of benefitting one of the candidates in the presidential elections. | He told CNN there was a "suspicion" that the Georgian conflict was created by someone in the US in the hope of benefitting one of the candidates in the presidential elections. |
| The White House dismissed Mr Putin's assertions as "not rational". | The White House dismissed Mr Putin's assertions as "not rational". |
| Russia's worsening relations with the West had led to suggestions that the EU would impose sanctions against Moscow at a leaders' summit next Monday. | |
| But officials in France - which currently holds the EU presidency - said such measures would not be adopted at this stage. | |
| The conflict in the region began on 7 August when Georgia tried to retake South Ossetia by force after a series of lower-level clashes. | The conflict in the region began on 7 August when Georgia tried to retake South Ossetia by force after a series of lower-level clashes. |
| Russia launched a counter-attack and the Georgian troops were ejected from both South Ossetia and Abkhazia. | Russia launched a counter-attack and the Georgian troops were ejected from both South Ossetia and Abkhazia. |
| An EU-brokered ceasefire brought a formal end to the conflict, although each side has accused the other of breaking the agreement. | An EU-brokered ceasefire brought a formal end to the conflict, although each side has accused the other of breaking the agreement. |