Russia criticized at UN over S. Ossetia, Abkhazia

Thu Aug 28, 2008 6:26 PM EDT

world-news, russia, un, georgia, security-council

Michael Weissenstein, Associated Press Writer

Georgia and its backers in the U.N. Security Council on Thursday decried Russia's recognition of two breakaway provinces. Russia responded by accusing its critics of bias and hypocrisy in an emergency meeting that turned bitter and personal.

The U.S., Britain and Georgia accused Russia of attempting to redraw internationally recognized borders through military force by moving troops into Georgia and then recognizing South Ossetia and Abkhazia as independent states Tuesday.

Russian Ambassador Vitaly Churkin said the charges were undercut by the international recognition of Kosovo's independence from Serbia this year by Washington and many European countries and by their own use of force against opponents, in particular by the U.S. in Iraq.

"Weapons of mass destruction: Have you found them in Iraq yet or are you still looking for them?" Churkin asked U.S. deputy ambassador Alejandro Wolff in remarks that also touched on centuries of Caucasus and Soviet history.

Wolff responded: "I'm not a psychologist, and I don't know what brought on the free association that we heard from Ambassador Churkin."

China, a frequent ally of Russia in the council, did not address the meeting, which consisted almost entirely of criticism of Russia. China earlier in the day issued a statement along with several Central Asian nations denouncing the use of force and calling for the respect of every country's territorial integrity, a blow to Russia's search for international backing.

Vietnam and Libya also remained silent, highlighting Russia's isolation in the council.

Georgian Ambassador Irakli Alasania said Russia is "in breach of fundamental norms and principles of international law and sovereignty" and warned that Moscow's unilateral recognition of the two regions would have repercussions for separatist movements throughout the Caucasus.

"Russian is moving forward, altering the post-(Soviet) 1991 borders with unpredictable results," he said. "There is no place in today's world for attempts to redraw boundaries of our international order ... Unless confronted by the international community, Russian policies will eventually force another conflict elsewhere."

France strongly condemned the Russian action on Abkhazia and South Ossetia, and Italy said the decision made the alarming conflict in Georgia even more dangerous.

British Ambassador John Sawers said Russia was making "a unilateral attempt to redraw the borders of a neighboring country through the use of force."

At earlier, closed consultations, council members rebuffed Russia's attempt to involve South Ossetian and Abkhazian representatives in the discussions, although Churkin told reporters that he was optimistic that Moscow's efforts will succeed.

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Michael Weissenstein's Column, All of Newsvine
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Regions: Vietnam , United Kingdom , United States , Russia , Libya , France , Iraq , Italy , China

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