Brown urges ‘root-and-branch review’ of Russia’s relations

RUSSIA moved to ease tensions with the west ahead of an EU emergency summit on the Georgia conflict, as Britain pushed yesterday for a “root-and-branch” review of the bloc’s relations with Moscow.

Russian president Dmitry Medvedev urged European governments to send more observers to Georgia to monitor a ceasefire between Russian and Georgian forces, opening the door to cooperation with the EU to resolve the conflict.

But British prime minister Gordon Brown warned that Russia’s military surge into Georgia and recognition of two Georgian rebel regions left EU leaders with little choice but to change the course of relations with Moscow.