Georgia urges Russian withdrawal

Russian peacekeepers are not wanted by Tbilisi

The Georgian parliament has called for the withdrawal of Russian troops from the separatist regions of Abhazia and South Ossetia.

The resolution seeks an international force to replace the Russians.

But is not expected to lead to any immediate practical steps, and the leaders of both breakaway regions want the Russian troops to stay.

The MPs' vote is likely to anger Moscow. Georgia has previously accused Russia of siding with the separatists.

Abhazia and South Ossetia have run their own affairs with Russian support since the wars of the 1990s and have resisted the effort of the central government in Tbilisi to rein them in.

Tensions between Moscow and Tbilisi have escalated since the 2004 election of President Mikhail Saakashvili, who forged strong ties with the West.

Russia insists its soldiers are keeping a fragile peace in the two regions and cannot withdraw them unless the separatist leaders ask it to.