Diplomats scrambled on Friday night to avert a wider crisis after the Russian military clashed with Georgian government forces in South Ossetia in the worst fighting in the breakaway enclave for nearly 20 years.
At the UN in New York, Russia and Georgia traded accusations of ethnic cleansing during the Security Council’s second emergency session on the crisis within 24 hours.
Irakli Alasania, Georgian envoy to the UN, said Russian air attacks had extended to Abkhazia, another breakaway territory in Georgia.
Russia’s Vitaly Churkin said the Georgian authorities were to blame for the flight of civilians following their destruction of schools and hospitals in South Ossetia.
The crisis could bring Moscow into confrontation with Washington, which backs Georgia.
Condoleezza Rice, US secretary of state, said: “The United States calls for an immediate ceasefire to the armed conflict in Georgia’s region of South Ossetia. We call on Russia to cease attacks on Georgia by aircraft and missiles, respect Georgia’s territorial integrity, and withdraw its ground combat forces from Georgian soil.”
In Beijing, US president George W. Bush and Russian prime minister Vladimir Putin, both attending the Olympics opening ceremony, discussed the situation.
Russia intervened to back the separatist government in South Ossetia and a small Russian peacekeeping force after the Georgian army began asserting control over the region on Thursday night.
Georgia said it reserved the right to use all means to protect its civilian population. President Mikheil Saakashvili told CNN: “We have Russian tanks moving in. We have continuous Russian bombardment since yesterday . . . specifically targeting the civilian population . . . Russia is fighting a war with us in our own territory.”
In another televised address he put the Georgian death toll at 30.
Mr Putin condemned “aggressive actions” by Georgian troops and said Russia would be compelled to retaliate. “They have in effect begun hostilities using tanks and artillery. It is sad, but this will provoke retaliatory measures.”
Last spring, Georgia began negotiations to join Nato, angering Russia.
Moscow has always supported the South Ossetian government, as well as the neighbouring region of Abkhazia, and Georgia accuses Russia of seeking to annex the two territories, which Russia denies.
