International

Russia rejects EU’s stand on Georgia

MOSCOW: Russia has rejected the European Union’s criticism of its handling of the Georgia conflict and threats to freeze partnership talks between Brussels and Moscow.

Russia’s Prime Minister Vladimir Putin rapped the EU leaders for failing to condemn Georgia’s attack on South Ossetia, which provoked a Russian retaliation. “Why haven’t they denounced Georgia’s aggression, why haven’t they said a word of sympathy for the victims of this aggression, the people of South Ossetia,” asked Mr. Putin. The EU leaders threatened to freeze talks on a new EU-Russia pact unless Russian troops pull back from positions in Georgia, but refused to consider any sanctions against Russia as demanded by Britain and East European nations, fearing Russia’s possible cuts in natural gas supplies.

Mr. Putin said Russia had no regular troops in Georgia, only peacekeepers deployed in the security zones as defined by earlier agreements.

“We have not even used our right [under the Russian-French peace plan] to beef up security in the region,” he said. Moscow dismissed the E.U. claim that Russia had reacted “disproportionately” to the Georgian attack.

“We cannot agree with a number of biased statements regarding Russia in the final declaration of the summit, including the assertion that our reaction to the Georgian aggression was disproportionate,” said the Russian Foreign Ministry. Spokesman Andrei Nesterenko said a partnership with the EU “should not be a hostage to the conflict” with Georgia. Overall, Russia said it was satisfied with a “responsible” stand taken by a majority of the EU leaders.

French President Nicolas Sarkozy said after the summit that he would visit Moscow and Tbilisi next Monday with European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso and EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana for talks.

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