EU condemns Russia move on Georgia regions

EU president France firmly condemns Russia's decision to recognise two rebel regions of Georgia as independent states, President Nicolas Sarkozy's office said on Tuesday, calling for a political solution.

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev announced earlier on Tuesday he had decided to recognise the breakaway regions of South Ossetia and Abkhazia despite calls by Western powers for him to respect Georgia's territorial integrity.

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"(The European Union presidency) firmly condemns this decision," Sarkozy's office said in a statement.

"It calls for a political solution to the conflicts in Georgia. It will examine the consequences of Russia's decision from this point of view," it added.