Russia recognises Georgia rebel regions

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev convened security chiefs on Tuesday to consider a plea from parliament to recognise two separatist regions of Georgia as independent, a move Washington says would be unacceptable.
The meeting came amid signs Moscow was preparing for a showdown with the West over its action in Georgia.
Georgia and Russia fought a brief war over the breakaway region of South Ossetia earlier this month after Georgia sent in troops to try to retake the province by force. Russia responded with a massive counter-attack by land, sea and air.
Russia's envoy to NATO, Dmitry Rogozin, compared the position to the eve of World War One, saying a new freeze in relations was inevitable.
"The current atmosphere reminds me of the situation in Europe in 1914 … when because of one terrorist leading world powers clashed," Rogozin told the RBK Daily business newspaper.
"I hope (Georgian President) Mikheil Saakashvili will not go down in history as a new Gavrilo Princip," Rogozin said, referring to the man who in August 1914 killed Austro-Hungarian Archduke Franz Ferdinand, triggering the world war.
The Kremlin gave no details of the security council meeting but a government source said it would start at about 1 p.m. (10 a.m. British time) in the Black Sea resort of Sochi. Prime Minister Vladimir Putin was to attend.