Georgia-Russia first attempt at talks collapses

THE first high-level talks between Russia and Georgia since their war broke down yesterday, but international sponsors said the negotiations had only hit a procedural snag and would resume next month.

The delegations from Russia and its allies in the breakaway Georgian regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia left the talks before their scheduled end.

“They no longer continue to talk,” UN spokeswoman Elena Ponomareva said. “They are finished.”