Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili said on Sunday his country had "no other choice" but to cut ties with Russia after Moscow recognized the independence of two breakaway Georgian regions.
"This was a difficult decision, but Georgia had no other choice than that," Saakashvili was quoted by the Caucasus Press news agency as saying.
Deputy Foreign Minister Grigol Vashadze said on Friday that Georgia was cutting diplomatic ties with Moscow to protest Russian President Dmitry Medvedev's decision to recognize the independence of South Ossetia and Abkhazia. Georgia on Saturday imposed visa restrictions on Russian citizens.
Saakashvili set Russian troop withdrawal from Georgia as a precondition for "constructive and peaceful cooperation" with Russia and said the cooperation needs to be based on "respect for Georgia's independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity."
Georgia, a former Soviet republic in the Caucasus, has long been at odds with Russia over the two breakaway territories and angered Moscow with its bid to join NATO.
Earlier this month, Georgia sent in troops to reclaim South Ossetia, which borders Russia, triggering a military counter-offensive from Russia. The conflict ended with a ceasefire agreement between Tbilisi and Moscow brokered by France.
Russia has said its troops remaining in Georgia are serving on a peacekeeping mission agreed in the ceasefire deal. Georgian parliament has declared Russian troops in Georgia as "occupying forces."
European Union (EU) leaders will convene on Monday for an emergency EU summit, called by the French EU presidency in a bid to formulate a response to the Georgia-Russia conflict.
U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney will visit Georgia on Tuesday in a show of support for Tbilisi.
Source:Xinhua
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