The Russia Journal

UNITED NATIONS - Accusing Russia of state terrorism, Georgia's U.N. ambassador complained on Monday that Moscow was violating the U.N. Charter by conducting air raids over his country, which he said killed three civilians.

But Ambassador Revaz Adamia, in distributing a foreign minister statement to all U.N. members, said Georgia had not yet decided whether to ask for action by the U.N. Security Council, of which Russia is a permanent member.

"Russia's actions are chilly reminders of the conventional meaning of state terrorism that was pursued for so long by its predecessor state - the Soviet Union," Adamia told a news conference. "Indeed, the behavior has not changed."

Monitors for the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe reported they observed "numerous unidentified aircraft" and "flashes and sound of detonations" last Friday.

Russian Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov, denied on Monday any cross-border bombing raid in Georgia.

In comments reported by Interfax news agency, Ivanov suggested Georgia itself may have carried out last Friday's aerial attack near its lawless Pankisi Gorge where Russia says scores of Chechen rebels are based.

"In that part of the world, I would doubt very much that any other country could fly military aircraft," Adamia said in dismissing Ivanov's statement.

Calling Moscow's action aggression against its sovereignty, Adamia said the air raids left three civilians dead and seven injured, including women and children.

"I would hope that the Security Council will give due assessment to this fragrant violation of international law and the U.N. Charter," he said.

"The reality that emerged out of Russia's aggression is that these acts endanger international peace and security and pose a risk of dragging the entire Caucus region into war," Adamia said.

Relations between Georgia and its former Soviet master have plummeted because of what Moscow sees as a lack of commitment by Tbilisi to rooting out Chechens in the lawless gorge.

The reported air incursion sparked an unusually sharp rebuke from the United States on Saturday with White House spokesman Ari Fleischer saying the Washington deplored the violation of Georgia's sovereignty.