Russia and key Western nations remained at odds last night over a UN resolution aimed at bringing peace to Georgia, with the US, France and Britain insisting on immediate withdrawal of Russian troops and a commitment to Georgia's territorial integrity, according to UN diplomats.
Russia put its draft resolution, which restates and endorses a six-point peace plan promoted by French president Nicolas Sarkozy and signed last week by Russia and Georgia, into a final form that can be put to a vote in the UN Security Council. But Russia's UN Ambassador Vitaly Churkin did not indicate when he would call for a vote.
"Our draft resolution is a reconfirmation of the six-point agreement, and there's no territorial integrity in the six principles," Mr Churkin said after a council meeting yesterday called by Russia. "We believe the six principles are clear and already implemented."
But the US and its European allies have criticised Russia for remaining in Georgia and performing military operations despite last week's cease-fire. The agreement says both Russian and Georgian forces must move back to positions they held before fighting broke out August 7th in Georgia's South Ossetia region, which has close ties to Russia.
The American, British and French envoys made clear yesterday that they won't accept a resolution that doesn't include clarifications of the six-point plan including an immediate Russian withdrawal and reaffirmation of Georgia's territorial integrity.
"What we see on the ground is the result of ambiguity," US deputy ambassador Alejandro Wolff said. "We have a presence of so-called Russian peacekeeping forces at key Georgian choke points that will control economic life, it will control humanitarian activities ... That's why clarifications are so important."
Wolff said that if the resolution is put to a vote without such clarifications, "we would be prepared to oppose it."
"We need clarity on Russian intentions and Russian withdrawal," Britain's UN Ambassador John Sawers said. "There's no way that Russian positions can be considered 'in line' with the resolution."
France's deputy ambassador Jean-Pierre Lacroix said that all parties are determined to work toward a unanimous resolution.
A French draft resolution put forward on Tuesday demands full and immediate compliance with the cease-fire, and the immediate withdrawal of Russian forces to positions prior to the start of the fighting. It remains on the table, and diplomats said there are efforts under way to try to find a compromise acceptable to all 15 council members.
AP