Russia calls U.S. resolution on Georgian sovereignty 'faulty PR'

Moscow hit out at a U.S. resolution that urges Russia "to remove its occupying forces from Abkhazia and South Ossetia" on Monday, calling it an ill-advised "PR move". On July 29, the U.S. Senate unanimously adopted a resolution calling on Russia to respect Georgia's territorial integrity and to withdraw its troops from Abkhazia and South Ossetia. "The statements that Abkhazia and South Ossetia are allegedly 'occupied' by Russia have neither factual nor legal grounds," a spokesman for Russia's Foreign Ministry said. "This resolution is no more than PR move." Moscow also said that the resolution encouraged Georgia's "revanchist sentiments." Tensions between Russia and Georgia exploded in August 2008, which began when Georgian forces attacked the breakaway republic of South Ossetia in an attempt to bring it back under central control. Russia forces expelled Georgia troops, chasing them deep into Georgia. Russia recognized South Ossetia and another breakaway Georgian republic, Abkhazia, as independent states two weeks after the conflict. Georgia considers the two regions part of its sovereign territory. Georgia hailed on Saturday the U.S. resolution, saying that the document created "a serious basis for future actions."