How Can NATO Confront Russia?

The Russian Army continued to occupy Georgia in defiance of the West yesterday as Nato leaders gathered to hammer out a united response to the new military threat from Moscow.

There was no sign of a withdrawal from Georgian soil despite a declaration from Moscow that a pullout had begun. The Georgian Government in Tbilisi countered that Russian forces were still trying to take more territory.

Nato foreign ministers will meet in Brussels today to try to overcome deep-seated divisions on the best way to confront the first Russian invasion of a neighbour since the end of the Cold War. The United States, Britain and many Eastern European states are pressing for a tough stance but France, Germany and others are reluctant to alienate Moscow.

Dmitri Medvedev, the Russian President, told forces veterans in the city of Kursk, the scene of one of the decisive battles of the Second World War, that Russia would deliver a “crushing response” to any attack on its citizens. A Nato spokeswoman said that its 26 foreign ministers would “reiterate full support for the territorial integrity of Georgia” and its eventual membership of the alliance. A package of support measures could include aid to rebuild Georgia's military infrastructure, which Tbilisi says has been wrecked by Russian forces.
Dmitri Rogozin, Russia's Ambassador to Nato, warned the alliance that its relationship with Moscow would suffer if the foreign ministers expressed support for Georgia. Bernard Kouchner, the French Foreign Minister, also disclosed that Russia was “not inclined to accept” a team of 100 European observers to monitor the ceasefire in Georgia.

The Times witnessed Russian forces continuing to man checkpoints and defensive positions 40km (25 miles) from Georgia's capital, Tbilisi, yesterday. Troops controlled the road to the city of Gori, which remained under Russian control.

Hundreds of Georgian soldiers sat in pick-up trucks about five miles from the first Russian checkpoint, waiting to reclaim control of Gori. After some hours, however, they retreated towards Tbilisi when it became clear that the Russians were not leaving.

Russian troops blocked access to Gori, although humanitarian aid was allowed in, and a series of explosions could be heard in the city. Several blasts were also heard in the town of Senaki, where Russian troops also barred reporters from entering.

Georgia's Foreign Ministry said that there was “not even a sign” of a Russian withdrawal, adding that police had deterred a Russian advance into the town of Sachkere and the spa resort of Borjomi in central Georgia.

The deputy head of the general staff in Moscow announced the start of a pullout from Georgia but gave no indication of when Russia would comply with US and European demands for a complete withdrawal. Colonel-General Anatoly Nogovitsyn said: “I can only say that we will not be leaving as fast as we came.”

The White House repeated its demand for a withdrawal “without delay”. US Defence Department officials said that Russia had moved SS-21 missile launchers into South Ossetia that are capable of hitting Tbilisi.

EU leaders have been hardening their attitude as patience over Kremlin intransigence runs out. President Sarkozy of France, the EU's current chairman, said he would call an emergency summit “to decide what consequences to draw” if Russian forces were not pulled out.

President Sarkozy, who brokered the ceasefire deal with Russia last week, warned President Medvedev on Sunday that there would be “serious consequences” for relations with the EU if Russia did not comply with the accord.

Germany is working on a proposal for a reconstruction conference for Georgia involving the EU and Georgia's neighbours in the Caucasus, Armenia and Azerbaijan.

Before flying to the Nato meeting, Condoleezza Rice, the US Secretary of State, said that Russia's reputation lay in tatters. She said: “We are going to help rebuild Georgia into a strong Georgian state. The Russians will have failed in their effort to undermine Georgia.”

President Saakashvili's future seemed less certain in Georgia as criticism emerged of his decision to send troops into South Ossetia on August 7. Opposition leaders said that he would face hard questions once Russian tanks had left Georgia.

Nino Burjanadze, a former ally in the 2003 Rose Revolution that swept Mr Saakashvili to power, is emerging as a potential challenger. She told Reuters: “Georgian mothers are very brave and they are ready to send their children, their sons, to fight to defend their country. But Georgian mothers, as all mothers in the world, have a right to know why they are doing this.”