US military ship docks in Georgia

A US military ship carrying humanitarian aid today docked at the Georgian port of Batumi.

The ship, the US Coast Guard cutter Dallas, was originally set to dock at the Black Sea port of Poti, which is still controlled by Russian forces.

But instead it arrived in Batumi, a port south of the zone of fighting in this month’s war between Russia and Georgia.

The move comes after harsh criticism from the West of Russia’s recognition yesterday of Georgian territories South Ossetia and Abkhazia as separate nations.

The Russian military has also criticised the US for bringing humanitarian aid into Georgia on military ships.

Earlier French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner accused Russia of breaking international law by recognising the independence of South Ossetia and Abkhazia.

Mr Kouchner said the EU “cannot accept these violations of international law” and other agreements, including UN resolutions.

The minister also warned of the danger of ethnic cleansing by Russian forces.

He said there is “evidence that the armies are pushing away the Ossetians that favoured Georgia, and in a certain way, yes, an ethnic cleansing is taking place.”

Fighting between Russia and Georgia broke out in South Ossetia on August 7.

France currently heads the European Union and has taken a leading role in trying to ease the ensuing crisis.