BBC news 2008-04-30 加文本

BBC 2008-04-30

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Welcome to the latest global news recorded at 3 o'clock GMT on Wednesday, the 30th of April. I am Julian Keane with the selection of highlights from across BBC World Service news today.

Coming up, are the Caucasus headed for conflict. Russia warns that it will retaliate if Georgia invades its rebel territories. Georgia says any land grab is being done by the Russians. “What they want to do actually to de facto annex these parts of Georgia. This is what happening right now in front of our eyes.”

The latest from the US presidential race, Barack Obama distances himself from his former pastor. "Reverend Wright does not speak for me. He does not speak for our campaign. I can not prevent him from continuing to make these outrageous remarks. "

And the latest developments in the global food crisis.

The war of words between Russia and its former satellite Georgia is starting to look dangerously like the prelude to a real war. Moscow claims that Georgia is getting ready to invade the region of Abkhazia which together with the South Ossetia, broke away from Georgian control in the 1990s. Russia has got close ties with both regions. It even encourages residents to take Russian citizenship. Now it's accusing Georgia of amassing troops near the rebel area's borders. And Russia's Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has warned that if Georgia does use force, Russia will retaliate.

Our representatives have been very clear about this, if Georgia puts in place that the threat it has made on a number of occasions about the use of force in south Ossetia and Abkhazia, we would be forced to take retaliatory measures to protect the lives of our citizens. That is why I would advise you not to confuse cause and effect here.

The Georgian ambassador of the UN is Irakli Alasania. With the retroact between Russians and Georgians is clearly ratcheting up over Abkhazia and south Ossetia, what does he believe is going on.

Let me begin with Putin's decree, we think establishing direct ties with the separatist's regimes. It's a departure from Russia's official recognition of Georgia's territorial integrity. These recent policies clearly qualifies as the new step that the Russia's taking to recognize the legitimacy of the governments, for example, in Abkhazia, de facto government. Of course we are dealing with them to the diplomatic means on the negotiations. We recognized them as a side, but that's it. We should not recognize them, and Russia is doing this actually, as a legitimate government.

So what do you suspect is the reason behind the, what you're calling, a change in Russian policy towards Abkhazia and south Ossetia?

The problem here is the territorial ambition of Russia over Georgia's parts of Abkhazia and south Ossetia. What they want to do actually to de facto annex these parts of Georgia and to have de facto control over these parts of Georgia.

You are saying that Russia has territorial designs on Abkhazia and south Ossetia?

Yes, and what I am saying, is, it's a now revision of the borders since the breakup of Soviet Union. This is what's happening right now in front of our eyes, and this is why Georgia and international community as it showed at the Security Council meeting last week. We have to continue pressure Russia to depart from their desired policy.

How far is this gonna go? I mean we've heard the Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov warning that Russia will retaliate if Georgia uses force against its breakaway regions. Clearly the retroact has been ratcheted up, but I'm, is conflict, hot conflict a possibility?

We Georgian government is doing everything to actually avert any kind of military destabilization in the region, which is why we have a new peace initiative which was introduced three weeks ago, and we are sending the details of this peace deal to Abkhazia. We are really looking forward to talk with them about what Georgia is offering them, how they can be actually within the Georgia and be the part of the democratic Western European society and guarantee their own heritage, historical, and that's their heritage. This is what we are offering them and expressing our readiness to talk about the details, how full-fledged autonomy or the federalism principles can be applied that they can feel more comfortable. So our reply to Russia's pressure is to have very consistent and peaceful dialogue with Abkhazia.