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| Georgia breaks ties with Russia | Georgia breaks ties with Russia |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Georgia has decided to cut diplomatic ties with Russia, days after Moscow recognised the independence of Georgia's two breakaway regions. | Georgia has decided to cut diplomatic ties with Russia, days after Moscow recognised the independence of Georgia's two breakaway regions. |
| Moscow said the decision would "not help bilateral relations" between the two nations - who had a brief war this month over one of them, South Ossetia. | |
| Reports suggest Russia means to deepen its involvement with the two regions. | |
| Meanwhile, a rights group has said UN satellite images prove ethnic Georgian villages in South Ossetia were torched. | Meanwhile, a rights group has said UN satellite images prove ethnic Georgian villages in South Ossetia were torched. |
| 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 class="" href="/1/hi/world/europe/7588473.stm">Pictures 'show Georgia torching' class="" href="/1/hi/world/europe/7549736.stm">Q&A: Conflict in Georgia class="" href="/1/hi/world/europe/7586438.stm">Voices from the Caucasus conflict class="" href="/1/hi/world/europe/7586662.stm">Russia's propaganda warfare 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. | The organisation called on the Russian government to prosecute those responsible. |
| Western governments have been fiercely critical of Moscow since Russian troops poured into the two regions in early August - forcing Georgian forces out. | Western governments have been fiercely critical of Moscow since Russian troops poured into the two regions in early August - forcing Georgian forces out. |
| Earlier this week, the powerful G7 group of nations said Moscow's recognition of the two provinces' independence broke international law. | Earlier this week, the powerful G7 group of nations said Moscow's recognition of the two provinces' independence broke international law. |
| The Kremlin has hit back, labelling the G7 statement "biased" and "groundless". | The Kremlin has hit back, labelling the G7 statement "biased" and "groundless". |
| EU states, Moscow said, were at a crossroads over the conflict and it hoped reason would prevail at next week's EU summit, which will discuss the crisis. | |
| 'Georgia's responsibility' | 'Georgia's responsibility' |
| Georgia had already announced that it would scale back staffing at its Moscow embassy, and that its ambassador - who was withdrawn last month - would not be returning. | Georgia had already announced that it would scale back staffing at its Moscow embassy, and that its ambassador - who was withdrawn last month - would not be returning. |
| But the foreign ministry now says all of its diplomats will return from the Moscow embassy by Saturday. | But the foreign ministry now says all of its diplomats will return from the Moscow embassy by Saturday. |
| The shutters were down on the Georgian embassy's windows in Moscow | |
| Deputy Foreign Minister Grigol Vashadze said his ministry had received its instructions and "the final decision has been made". | |
| Russian foreign ministry spokesman Andrei Nesterenko said Moscow regretted Tbilisi's decision. | |
| "The possible end of diplomatic relations with Georgia is not the choice of Moscow, and Tbilisi will have to bear the entire responsibility," the state-controlled Tass news agency reported him as saying. | "The possible end of diplomatic relations with Georgia is not the choice of Moscow, and Tbilisi will have to bear the entire responsibility," the state-controlled Tass news agency reported him as saying. |
| It is expected the Russian embassy in Tbilisi will also now close down, the BBC's Richard Galpin reports from Tbilisi. | |
| Georgian officials did not give any reasons for the decision, but it comes amid reports that Moscow intends to extend its involvement in the two provinces - which both have Russian-backed governments. | Georgian officials did not give any reasons for the decision, but it comes amid reports that Moscow intends to extend its involvement in the two provinces - which both have Russian-backed governments. |
| 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's parliamentary speaker Znaur Gassiyev said Russia would absorb the region within "several years", according to a report by the Associated Press. |
| 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 would sign an agreement next week allowing it to set up military bases in the region. | The Russian Interfax news agency reported that Moscow would 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. | The Kremlin has not yet commented on the reports. |
| 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. |