Georgia cuts diplomatic ties to protest Russian incursion
Further talks must use third-party nation

TBILISI, Georgia – Georgia severed diplomatic ties with Moscow on Friday to protest the presence of Russian troops on its territory. Russia said the move would only make things worse.
With European Union leaders set to discuss on Monday in Brussels how to deal with an increasingly assertive Russia, Prime Minister Vladimir Putin angrily warned Europe not to do America’s bidding and said Moscow does not fear Western sanctions.
Russia has faced isolation over its offensive in Georgia and stands alone in its recognition of breakaway regions South Ossetia and Abkhazia. The U.S. and Europe have closed ranks in condemning Russia’s actions but are struggling to find an effective response.
EU leaders are not expected to impose sanctions on Russia at their summit but may name a special envoy to Georgia to ensure that a cease-fire is observed, French and Belgian officials said.
Georgia’s diplomats in Russia will leave Moscow today, the Foreign Ministry said. Georgia’s leadership followed through on a call from lawmakers who voted late Thursday to break off ties with Russia.
Russia criticized the move, saying it would not help mend ruined ties.
Both nations’ consulates, however, will remain open – important for the many Georgian citizens living in Russia. Under the 1963 Vienna Convention on Consular Relations, breaking off diplomatic ties does not automatically lead to a cut in consular relations.
The diplomatic break will require Georgia and Russia to negotiate through third countries if they negotiate at all – a sticky situation because Russia sees Western nations as biased in Georgia’s favor. Georgia, which had pushed for a greater role for international organizations, could see it as an advantage.
“We found ourselves in an awkward situation when a country militarily invading and occupying our country, then recognizing part of its territories, is trying to create a sense of normalcy” by maintaining diplomatic relations, Foreign Minister Eka Tkeshelashvili said in Sweden.
But the move may bring little practical change, because there were few signs of any productive diplomacy even before the war. Trade between Russia and Georgia is also minimal, following Russian bans in 2006 on Georgia’s major exports – wine and mineral water – and other products.
The five-day war broke out Aug. 7 when Georgia attacked South Ossetia in a bid to wrest control from separatists. Russia sent in tanks, troops and bombers, and has maintained a powerful military presence.