United Nations Radio

Russia has objected to a draft Security Council resolution proposed by France to resolve the conflict in Georgia.

France, as President of the European Union, last week sponsored an agreement between the parties on six principles to end the conflict that erupted on August 7th, between Georgian government forces and separatists in South Ossetia, backed by Russia. But Russia's UN Ambassador Vitaly Churkin said late on Tuesday that the Security Council draft does not incorporate all elements of the six principles, namely that the pull-out of Russian forces from the disputed territory will be preceded by the pull-out of Georgian forces and will be accompanied by additional security measures to protect Russian peacekeepers there.

"In the same principle they are referring to Russian forces taking additional security measures. So it has to be taken in its entirety. What they have done - they are not referring to any security measures at all. They are saying immediate withdrawal of Russian forces and only then.... You know, they're taking things upside down."

France's UN representative Jean-Pierre Lacroix said the pull-out of Russian forces is a pre-requisite to moving forward with the other elements of the agreement.

Reprting for UN Radio, I'm Bissera Kostova.

(duration: 1'11")