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Russia warned over Georgia move | Russia warned over Georgia move |
(30 minutes later) | |
Nato has warned Russia that its recent troop build-up in Georgia's two breakaway regions undermines its neighbour's territorial integrity. | |
Russia's moves in Abkhazia and South Ossetia were raising tensions in the area, a Nato spokesman said. | |
Moscow has accused Georgia of preparing to invade Abkhazia, and says it is also boosting Russian peacekeeping forces there and in South Ossetia. | |
Tbilisi has described the Russian move as "irresponsible". | Tbilisi has described the Russian move as "irresponsible". |
"The steps that have been taken [by Russia] and the rhetoric have increased tensions and undermined Georgia's territorial integrity," Nato spokesman James Appathurai said. | |
He also urged both Moscow and Tbilisi to avoid harsh rhetoric. | He also urged both Moscow and Tbilisi to avoid harsh rhetoric. |
The European Union has also appealed for caution, saying to increase troop numbers would be unwise given current tensions. | The European Union has also appealed for caution, saying to increase troop numbers would be unwise given current tensions. |
'Aggressors' | |
Earlier this week, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov warned that Moscow would take "retaliatory measures" if Georgia used force against its breakaway regions. | |
Russia said Georgia was massing 1,500 soldiers and police in the upper Kodori Gorge, the only part of Abkhazia which remains under government control. | |
In response, Moscow said it was increasing Russian peacekeepers in both Abkhazia and South Ossetia. | |
Mr Lavrov said that Russia had to protect Russian-passport holders in the two regions. | |
Georgia denies any build-up of its own forces in the area, and says that Russia is taking provocative action. | |
"We think that this step, if they take it, will cause extreme destabilisation in the region," said Georgian Prime Minister Lado Gurgenidze. | |
"From now on, we consider every [Russian] soldier or any unit of military equipment coming in [to Abkhazia and South Ossetia] as illegal, potential aggressors and potential generators of destabilisation." | |
Kosovo precedent | |
Russia has kept a peacekeeping force in Abkhazia and South Ossetia under an agreement made following the wars of the 1990s, when the regions broke away from Tbilisi and formed links with Moscow. | |
There are around 2,000 Russians posted in Abkhazia, and about 1,000 in South Ossetia. | |
Tensions between Russia and Georgia have flared up recently, despite Russia lifting economic sanctions against Georgia earlier this month. | |
Last week, Georgia accused a Russian plane of shooting down an unmanned Georgian spy plane - which Russian authorities insisted was shot down by Abkhaz rebels. | |
And on Tuesday, Georgia said it was blocking Russia's entry to the World Trade Organization. | |
Many in Abkhazia believe that Kosovo's announcement of independence from Serbia in February provides a precedent for it to be recognised as an individual state. | |
Although it has its own flag and postage stamps, it is not internationally recognised. |