US scolds Russia over Georgia row

Russia keeps troops in Georgia's breakaway regions

A row has broken out between the US and Russia at a security summit in Brussels after Washington accused Moscow of bullying its smaller neighbours.

The spat erupted at the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) summit in Brussels.

Senior US state department diplomat Nicholas Burns said "some" countries were imposing "economic and financial pressure" on Georgia and Moldova.

Russia retorted, saying the OSCE was exacerbating conflict in the region.

Tense relations between Russia and former Soviet republic Georgia erupted earlier this year, and led to Moscow imposing tough sanctions on its smaller neighbour.

Moldova has also suffered a Russian embargo on certain goods, and Russia maintains troops in breakaway regions of both countries.

'Imbalances'

"In Moldova and Georgia, protracted conflict and external threats impede the full economic and democratic development... creating insecure borders, undermining territorial integrity and hampering the process of regional integration," Mr Burns said.

"As long as these countries remain torn apart from within and as long as open support for separatist regimes continues from without, these two countries will find it harder to realise their potential."

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said the OSCE was skewed by "imbalances".

He accused the organisation - formed during the Cold War to improve co-operation between the Soviet Union and the West - of trying to force through "one-sided" solutions to long-lasting disputes in the region.

"Such action leads to exacerbation of tensions and mistrust, and sets back the clock on any possible solution," he said.