Russia/Georgia

Explosions in Gori, France calls for UN resolution

Article published on the 2008-08-14 Latest update 2008-08-14 12:41 TU

Units of irregulars travel in military vehicles on the road between Gori and Tbilisi.
(Photo: Reuters)

As Georgia accuses Russia of breaking an overnight pledge to pull out of Gori, journalists there report explosions which appear to come from artillery fire. After US President George Bush's declaration of support for Tbilisi, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice visits France on her way to the troubled region. France has called on the UN Security Council to adopt a resolution, incorporating the peace plan brokered by Paris, as soon as possible.

A series of explosions have been heard in Gori, according to the French news agency AFP and other sources, and a Russian soldier is reported to have ordered reporters to leave.

Georgia's Foreign Ministry says that Russian forces have returned to the port of Poti and are reinforcing their troops in Gori. Overnight the Georgians said that the Russians were leaving Gori but officials now say that they have broken their promise.

Russia's apparent U-turn seems to have taken place after talks about the handover collapsed, apparently because South Ossetians insisted that they be involved in policing the town.

US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has arrived in France for talks with President Nicolas Sarkozy before heading for the Caucasus.

In a telephone conversation, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov told her that he "strongly rejected" claims that his country is not complying with the French-brokered peace agreement.

Russia has reacted angrily to Bush's declaration that its actions have been "inconsistent" with its statements that it had halted military operations. He warned that Moscow's relations with the west are "at risk".

Washington's support for Saakashvili is largely because of the pipeline between the Caspian Sea and Turkis Mediterranean coastline, says US-based analyst Michael Klare.

"I think that he was under the impression that the United States would come to his rescue," he told RFI. "And he had a lot of reason to be under that impression because the Bush administration was promoting fast track membership for Georgia in Nato, was providing all of these arms and military assistance and was singing his praises constantly."

Russia's Interfax news agency quoted a top official as saying that South Ossetian police have executed two people accused of looting. Both sides have accused each other of attacks on civilians.

The Georgia correspondent of RFI's Russian-language service, Grigol Tchikhladze, was killed on Sunday evening while passing a roadblock in the South Ossetian capital, Tskhinvali. He was 30-years-old, married with two children.

According to the press rights campaign, Reporters Without Borders, three other reporters have been killed and four arrested during the fighting.