President Mikhail Saakashvili has denied that Georgia's armed forces committed war crimes during their attack on South Ossetia in August. Evidence obtained by the BBC in the breakaway region suggests Georgia used indiscriminate force, and may have targeted civilians. Witnesses said tanks had fired on an apartment block, and civilians were shot at as they fled the fighting.
South Ossetia and another region, Abkhazia, broke away from Georgia in the early 1990s, in the aftermath of the collapse of the Soviet Union. Georgia's attempt to re-conquer South Ossetia triggered a Russian invasion and the most serious crisis in relations between the Kremlin and the West since the Cold War.
Refugees in Gori, Georgia
Earlier this month Western donors pledged $4.55 billion to help rebuild Georgia, two months after its conflict with Russia. The announcement followed a meeting of some 70 organizations and countries in Brussels, hosted by the European Commission and the World Bank. EU officials said the amount was far more than had been expected.
In August, Moscow ousted Georgian troops from Georgia's rebel regions of South Ossetia and Abkhazia. Russia still has more than 7,000 troops in South Ossetia and Abkhazia and was not invited to the donors conference. The Kremlin has drawn criticism from Western nations for recognizing the two territories as independent states. The conference supports Georgia's territorial integrity and Russia has a different interpretation of that, one EU official explained.
In September the International Monetary Fund (IMF) approved a loan for Georgia, amounting to $ 750 million. It is aimed at rebuilding the country's currency reserves and boosting confidence in its economy following the conflict with Russia. Analysts say the money could offset any difficulty Georgia might have in selling products abroad or in attracting foreign investment.
During his visit to Georgia on Sep 4th Vice-President Dick Cheney condemned what he called Russia's "illegitimate" attempt to change Georgia's borders last month. Cheney added that Russia's actions during the recent conflict with Georgia had cast doubt on its reliability as an international partner. He also said the U.S. was fully committed to Georgia's efforts to join NATO. Cheney was in Tbilisi a day after the U.S. announced a $1 billion aid package to help rebuild Georgia.
Fighting between Russia and Georgia began on August 7th after the Georgian military tried to retake the breakaway region of South Ossetia by force. Russian forces launched a counter-attack and the conflict ended with the ejection of Georgian troops from both South Ossetia and another breakaway region, Abkhazia. Russia has since recognized the independence of both regions, though no other country has.
Six-point peace plan
No more use of force
Stop all military actions for good
Free access to humanitarian aid
Georgian troops return to their places of permanent deployment
Russian troops to return to pre-conflict positions
Int'l talks about future status of S.Ossetia and Abkhazia
In August the U.S. Coast Guard cutter Dallas, carrying 34 tons of humanitarian aid, docked in the Black Sea port of Batumi, south of the zone of this month's fighting between Russia and Georgia. The arrival avoided Georgia's main cargo port of Poti, still controled by Russian soldiers. The World's Lisa Mullins talked with Commodore John Moore, commander of the Maritime Task group in the Black Sea and Robert Wagner, the captain of the Dallas (Aug 27):
South Ossetia has run its own affairs since fighting for independence from Georgia in 1991-92, in the aftermath of the collapse of the Soviet Union. It has declared independence, though this has not been recognized by any other country. Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili has vowed to bring South Ossetia and another breakaway region, Abkhazia, back under full Georgian control.
Why do Ossetians want to break away?
The Ossetians are a distinct ethnic group originally from the Russian plains just south of the Don river. In the 13th century, they were pushed southwards by Mongol invasions into the Caucasus mountains, settling along the border with Georgia. South Ossetians want to join up with their ethnic brethren in North Ossetia, which is an autonomous republic within the Russian Federation.
Ethnic Georgians are a minority in South Ossetia, accounting for less than one-third of the population. But Georgia rejects even the name South Ossetia, preferring to call it by the ancient name of Samachablo, or Tskhinvali, after its main city.
What triggered the latest crisis?
Tension has risen since the election of President Saakashvili in 2004. He offered South Ossetia dialogue and autonomy within a single Georgian state - but in 2006 South Ossetians voted in an unofficial referendum to press their demands for complete independence.
In April 2008 NATO said Georgia would be allowed to join the alliance at some point - angering Russia, which opposes the eastward expansion of NATO. Weeks later, Russia stepped up ties with the separatists in Abkhazia and South Ossetia.
In July Russia admitted its fighter jets entered Georgian airspace over South Ossetia to "cool hot heads in Tbilisi". Occasional clashes escalated, until six people were reportedly killed by Georgian shelling. Attempts to reach a cease-fire stalled.
After further exchanges of fire, Georgia launched an air and ground attacks on South Ossetia on August 7th, only hours after the sides agreed a cease-fire. The next day, Georgian forces were reportedly in control of Tskhinvali.
Russia responded by pouring thousands of troops into South Ossetia, and launching bombing raids both over the province and on targets in the rest of Georgia. Within days, Russia had seized control of Tskhinvali.
Russia's role
Russia insists it was acting as a peacekeeper in South Ossetia, rejecting Georgian accusations that it has been supplying arms to the separatists. But it has vowed to defend its citizens in South Ossetia - of which there are many. More than half of South Ossetia's 70,000 citizens are said to have taken up Moscow's offer of a Russian passport.
Until recently Russia said it respected Georgia's territorial integrity, and only wanted to look out for Russian citizens. But, following Georgia's military action, Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin said it was now unlikely that South Ossetia would reintegrate with the rest of Georgia.
The Kosovo factor
In February Russia indicated it may change its policy towards breakaway regions in Georgia if the West recognizes the independence of Kosovo. Moscow repeatedly hinted it could recognize South Ossetia and Abkhazia if Kosovo separates from Serbia. The foreign ministry said Moscow would "take into account" developments in Kosovo, but did not say how.
Kosovo did declare independence in February and the U.S. and most EU states recognized the new country quickly.
Could the conflict spread?
Tensions have risen in Georgia's other breakaway region, Abkhazia to the west. Breakaway leader Sergei Bagapsh has vowed to expel all remaining Georgian forces; Russia has sent thousands of reinforcements, saying it will not allow Georgia to carry out a similar operation on a second front.
Georgia's links to NATO
President Saakashvili has made membership of NATO one of his main goals. Georgia has had a close relationship with the United States - sending troops to join the US-led coalition in Iraq - and has been cultivating ties with Western Europe.
There are those who believe that Saakashvili may have been hoping to draw NATO into a conflict with Moscow, making their alliance a formal one. But analysts say it is difficult to imagine NATO allowing itself to be drawn into a direct conflict with its Cold War rival after managing to avoid that for so long. In fact, some say NATO will now be wary about getting closer to Georgia when it has so many outstanding territorial issues.
Is the U.S. taking the right approach to the crisis in Georgia?
