Russia's President Vladimir Putin today urged the West to persuade Georgia's leadership to change its "irresponsible" policies, the Kremlin press service said in a statement.
"Our position is that the international community cannot ignore the irresponsibility of the Georgian authorities," Putin said in a letter to Karel De Gucht, chairman in office of the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE).
Putin rejected an OSCE offer to mediate in Russia's dispute with Georgia, which erupted after Tbilisi arrested four Russian soldiers on spying charges. Russia retaliated with economic sanctions against Georgia.
"I believe that at the moment the OSCE's efforts should be concentrated on stimulating a fundamental change in the policies of Georgia's current leadership."
Those policies were "aimed at ratcheting up tension and preparing for a military scenario for 'settling' the Georgian-Abkhaz and Georgian-South Ossetian conflicts," the Kremlin quoted Putin as saying.
Abkhazia and South Ossetia are Georgian breakaway regions backed by Moscow. Tbilisi says it wants to restore its control over the regions. It says it will use only peaceful means.