Western leaders condemn Russia

Western leaders have condemned Russia\'s decision to recognise the independence of the breakaway Georgian regions of South Ossetia and Abkhazia.



US President George Bush warned his Russian counterpart, Dmitry Medvedev, that his irresponsible decision was exacerbating tensions in the region.



Georgia said Russia was seeking to change Europe\'s borders by force.



Earlier, Mr. Medvedev told the BBC that Russia had been obliged to act because of Georgia\'s genocide of separatists.



He also said Moscow had felt obliged to recognise South Ossetia and Abkhazia as other countries had done with Kosovo earlier this year.



The president said Russia\'s relations with the West were deteriorating sharply and a new Cold War could not be ruled out, but that his country did not want one.



Fighting between Russia and Georgia began on August 7, after the Georgian military tried to retake South Ossetia by force.