Moscow gets limited support over Georgia

Russia has received limited backing from the East over its role in Georgia. At an Asian regional security summit, Russia’s fellow members of the Shanghai Cooperation Council – China, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan – expressed support for what they called Moscow’s efforts to restore stability in the Caucasus.

They also voiced grave concern over tensions in Georgia and called for reconciliation and more talks.

Referring to Georgia’s attack on the rebel province of South Ossetia, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said: “I am sure that the united position of the SCO member states will have international resonance and I hope it will serve as a strong signal to those who try to turn black into white and justify this aggression.”

But Moscow failed to get support from its allies for Russia’s recognition of the independence declared by Georgia’s breakaway regions of South Ossetia and Abkhazia. Some of them are facing separatist rebellions of their own.

Ahead of a summit of EU leaders on the Georgia crisis, due to start on Monday, the French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner has said sanctions against Russia are among the measures being considered.

His Russian counterpart, Sergei Lavrov, called that idea the product of a “sick imagination” and Western confusion.