Vienna (Austria): Russian and Georgian officials at a leading European security organized sparred on Friday over who is to blame for the bloodshed in the breakaway Georgian province of South Ossetia.
Georgia's ambassador to the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, Victor Dolidze, accused Russia of ''clear, open, military aggression from one OSCE country to another, its neighbhour, unfortunately.''
But Vladimir Voronkov, Russia's top delegate to the Vienna-based body, denied any Russian military involvement, saying that just 500 Russian peacekeepers were in the province.
''I can't speak about any Russian forces present: This is a very obvious trick of the Georgian side to place Russia as a side of conflict,'' he said.
''There are two sides of conflict in this conflict: South Ossetia and Georgia,'' he said, adding that Moscow would like to ''stop the bloodshed.''
The two spoke separately to reporters after a special, closed-door meeting of the 56-member body.
Georgia launched a major military offensive earlier Friday to retake the province from separatists seeking independence for South Ossetia.
Russia later sent in troops, saying the forces would protect civilians and Russian peacekeepers already stationed in the province.
Dolidze said Georgia was acting in ''self-defense'' and would maintain the offensive until it is sure South Ossetia's civilians are safe.
''This is not a military operation, this is (an) anti-criminal operation.''
A diplomat who attended the special session said Voronkov accused Georgia's military of a ''scorched Earth'' policy in South Ossetia.
The diplomat, speaking on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to divulge such details to the media, cited Dolidze as saying that Russian forces had been bombing Georgian territory since morning.
''If this is not war, then I wonder what is,'' the diplomat quoted Dolidze as saying.
During the session, the U.S. said it was deeply concerned about the escalation of violence and called for a political solution.
''We support Georgia's sovereignty and territorial integrity within its internationally recognized borders, and call for an immediate end to the violence and for direct talks between the parties,'' said acting deputy chief of mission, Hugh Neighbour, according to a copy of his statement.
Earlier Friday, the OSCE – currently headed by Finland – condemned the fighting and demanded an immediate end to hostilities.
Finnish Foreign Minister Alexander Stubb said he would send an envoy to the region ''immediately.''
''The intense fighting in the South Ossetian conflict zone risks escalation into a full-fledged war,'' Stubb said.
''War would have a devastating impact for the entire region. I urge the Georgians, South Ossetians and Russians to cease fire, end military action and stop further escalation.''
The OSCE, which has a field office in South Ossetia's capital, Tskhinvali, has a mandate to promote negotiations with the aim of reaching a peaceful political settlement.
It also monitors security on the ground.
OSCE spokesman Martin Nesirky said the field office had been hit overnight and that all its military monitoring officers were safely evacuated.
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