Georgia warned of new military action

Georgia warned of new military action
Tue, 07 Oct 2008 00:43:15 GMT
Russia says Georgia is provoking a new military action
Moscow has warned Tbilisi of a 'new military action' following a bomb blast which killed seven Russian peacekeepers in South Ossetia.

"Some forces in (the Georgian capital) Tbilisi...are trying to provoke new military action," the Russia foreign ministry wrote in a statement raising concerns of a fresh war in the region after the two sides' August hostilities in South Ossetia.

The August war erupted after Georgia attacked the independence-leaning republic triggering a Russian armed response which according to the Kremlin was aimed at protecting its peacekeepers and nationals there.

Certain Georgian agents "are consciously moving to aggravate the situation in the region and through a series of terrorist acts," the ministry added referring to the last week's 'terrorist attack' on the Russian peacekeepers in the neutral zones where they have moved since the clash.

The incident killed seven peacekeepers and injured another seven on October 3. The Russian authorities and the South Ossetian leadership say Georgia orchestrated the blast to complicate a trouble-free withdrawal for the peacekeepers.

Russian peacekeepers making room for EU monitors
The blast in the buffer zone took place two days after the Russian peacekeepers started their withdrawal from the area based on the French-brokered agreement.

RIA Novosti reported that French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner, whose country has mediated a ceasefire agreement meant to resolve the conflict, has been notified by his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov of "Russia's concerns regarding the provocation and deteriorating situation in the security zone."

"All the same we firmly intend to fulfill the agreement... on withdrawing our peacekeeping forces from Georgian territory on October 10," added the statement.

HN/DT