Georgia balks at Russia declaring two Georgian provinces independent; as Russia says Georgia forced its hand.
The West had strongly urged Moscow not to recognize the regions and to support Georgia's territorial integrity. Deborah Lutterbeck reports.SOUNDBITES: Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili, saying (Georgian): "This decision is completely illegal and has no legal basis and consequences."
Russian ambassador to the UN Vitaly Churkin, saying (English):"Saakashvili left them with no other choice, but to insure their security and the right to exist through self determination as an independent state."
