MOSCOW - Russia's Foreign Ministry on Friday accused Georgia of an "act of aggression" against the breakaway South Ossetia region after separatist officials said two people had died in heavy shelling.
"Tbilisi's actions represented an overt act of aggression against South Ossetia, which is an internationally recognised party to the conflict resolution process," the foreign ministry said in a statement.
South Ossetian officials said Georgian forces launched a large-scale attack on the region overnight, firing from three directions with mortars, grenade launchers and small arms. They said two people were killed and at least 10 injured.
Georgia said its forces returned fire only after South Ossetian rebels attacked Georgian-controlled villages in the region.
The Russian Foreign Ministry called for Georgia to urgently return to talks with South Ossetian rebels under the long-established Joint Control Commission (JCC), a format Tbilisi has alleged is biased in favour of the separatists.
"Any delay in a renewal of the negotiating process could be fraught with the most tragic consequences," the ministry said.
Tensions have soared in recent months over South Ossetia and another rebel Georgian region, Abkhazia, after Russia announced it was establishing formal ties with the separatists.
Backed by Moscow, the two regions have had de facto independence since breaking away from Tbilisi's control during wars in the early 1990s.
mm/ch/rt
07/04/2008 13:40 GMT