Some Western countries on Tuesday slammed Russia's recognition of South Ossetia and Abkhazia, the breakaway regions of Georgia.
Russia's recognition of the independence of South Ossetia and Abkhazia is "unacceptable", the United States said.
"President Dmitry Medvedev's decision to recognize Abkhazia and South Ossetia is unacceptable for us," State Department spokesman Robert Wood said Tuesday
U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, who is visiting the Middle East, said the Russian move is "regrettable".
"Abkhazia and South Ossetia are a part of the internationally recognized borders of Georgia and are going to remain so," she said.
Meanwhile, Britain said it rejects the decision of President Dimitry Medvedev to recognize South Ossetia and Abkhazia
"We reject the decision categorically and reaffirm Georgia's sovereignty and territorial integrity," a spokeswoman for the British Foreign Office said.
"This is contrary to obligations that Russia has repeatedly taken on in Security Council resolutions," she said.
"It does nothing to improve the prospects for peace in the Caucasus," the spokeswoman said, adding that it would "increase instability" in the region.
France, which currently holds the rotating presidency of the European Union (EU), described Russia's move as "regrettable" and said it was consulting with EU nations on a joint declaration.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel said Russia's recognition of the two regions' independence is "absolutely not acceptable".
"This contradicts the principle of territorial integrity, a principle based on the international law of nations and for this reason it is unacceptable," she said.
Swedish Foreign Minister Carl Bildt also added his voice to the criticism of Russia, saying the move was a violation of international law and the basic principles for stability in Europe.
The decision also means that Russia has chosen "a policy of confrontation, not only with the rest of Europe but also with the international community as a whole," Bildt said on his blog.
On Tuesday, President Dmitry Medvedev signed decrees recognizing the independence of South Ossetia and Abkhazia.
The two regions broke from central Georgian rule during wars in the early 1990s after the collapse of the former Soviet Union, but their self-proclaimed independence is not recognized internationally.
Earlier this month, Georgia sent in troops to reclaim South Ossetia, to which Russia responded with a military offensive, driving Georgian forces out of the region and taking over parts of Georgian territory.
Russia declared a halt to its military offensive on Aug. 12 after days of conflict in the region. Later, Moscow said it had fulfilled the promise made in a French-brokered peace plan to withdraw its troops from Georgia as of last Friday.
Source:Xinhua
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