|
MOSCOW/TBILISI, RUSSIA/GEORGIA - GEORGIA recalled its ambassador from Moscow after Russia said it had sent its fighter jets into its neighbour's airspace to prevent Georgian troops attacking a separatist region.
Russia acknowledged the fighter sorties a few hours after United States Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, on a visit to the Georgian capital, urged Moscow to help ease tensions in the strategic region instead of adding to them.
Georgia's pro-Western government is locked in a confrontation with Russia over two Georgian regions - South Ossetia and Abkhazia - which have rejected Tbilisi's rule and are receiving support from Moscow.
'We will take some aggressive diplomatic steps in order to respond adequately to Russia's actions. One such step is that from today, we are recalling our ambassador in Russia for consultations,' Georgian Foreign Minister Ekaterine Tkeshelashvili told a news briefing on Thursday.
Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili later said in Ukraine: 'Obviously we cannot fight with Russia. I mean we have to use all international diplomatic and political tools.'
He said the overflights showed Russia's disdain for international law and added: 'Not only does Russia keeps surprising, but sometimes the inability of some parts of the international community to adequately react (is surprising).'
Dr Rice, speaking in Tbilisi after meeting Mr Saakashvili, said Russia 'needs to be a part of resolving the problem and solving the problem and not contributing to it'.
Dr Rice backed Georgia's bid to join the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation, but also urged all sides to halt a surge of violence in the breakaway regions this month in which at least six people have been killed.
Russia has accused Georgia of orchestrating the violence, a charge Tbilisi denies.
'The violence needs to stop, and whoever is perpetrating it, and I have mentioned this to the president, there should not be violence,' Dr Rice told a news conference. -- REUTERS
| 
