US Ambassador to UN Zalmay Khalilzad has accused Russia of seeking 'regime change' in Georgia, resisting attempts to spread peace there.
Speaking during a UN Security Council session on Sunday,the Us diplamat alleged that Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov had told US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice "that a democratically elected president of Georgia - and I quote - must go.''
He exchanged sharp words with the Russian ambassador, Vitaly Churkin, saying that Moscow is resisting a ceasefire, and causing the death of hundreds of civilians in Georgia.
Churkin confirmed there had been a "confidential phone call'' between Lavrov and Rice, but did not directly answer Khalilzad.
The conflict between Russia and Georgia began after Georgian military forces launched a large-scale military offensive against South Ossetia on Thursday evening, on the eve of opening ceremony of the 2008 Olympic Games. Russia, in response, moved its forces to the region.
South Ossetia is officially a part of Georgia but a large number of its population of 70,000 have Russian passports and have strong links with North Ossetia which is a Russian territory. They have been trying to gain full independence from Georgia since the fall of the Soviet Union.
Russia on the other hand has accused Georgia of committing genocide in South Ossetia, adding Tiblisi could not launch the offensive without Washington's help.
BGA/DT - PRESSTV