Georgia thought it had US backing to use force, ex-envoy says

TBILISI, Georgia - Before this summer's Georgia-Russia war, President Mikhail Saakashvili was itching to do battle and authorities mistook messages from the United States as encouragement to use force, Georgia's former ambassador to Russia said yesterday.

But Russia also takes a share of the blame because it was trying to incite Saakashvili, Erosi Kitsmarishvili said.

His statements at a news conference added new intensity to a growing debate about what and who bear the onus for staring the five-day war that saw Russia drive deep into Georgian territory, caused devastating damage to Georgia's military, and aggravated already troubled Russia-US relations.

Georgia launched a massive artillery barrage Aug. 7 on the capital of the separatist region of South Ossetia, which was backed by Moscow and patrolled by Russian peacekeeping forces. Russian forces poured into the region, drove Georgian forces out and went on to take control of substantial swaths of northern and western Georgia.

The war ended with Russian forces firmly in control of South Ossetia and another separatist region, Abkhazia. Moscow has recognized both regions as independent.

Georgian leaders have said they launched the Aug. 7 attack after separatists shelled Georgian villages and Russian forces invaded from the north. Russia denies that, saying it sent troops to protect civilians and Russian peacekeepers from the Georgian onslaught.

Kitsmarishvili said Georgian officials told him President Bush gave his blessing for the use of force when he met the Georgian president in Washington in March. Georgian officials also perceived a July 9-10 visit by US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice as encouragement for the plan, Kitsmarishvili said. He said people in Saakashvili's circle told him Rice "gave the green light."

Rice has denied that Washington encouraged Georgia to use force on the provinces. The US Embassy reiterated that line yesterday.

Some pro-government lawmakers accused him of lying to deflect attention from his alleged ineffectualness as ambassador.