Washington: The United States bluntly urged Russia to "cease from further provocations" in Georgia's breakaway regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia amid worries that rising tensions might lead to war.

"We again call on the Russian government to reiterate its commitment to Georgia's territorial integrity and sovereignty, to reverse its unilateral measures in Abkhazia and South Ossetia and to cease from further provocations," said White House spokeswoman Dana Perino, yesterday.

"In recent days and weeks ... The Russian government has taken what we would call provocative actions which have increased tensions with Georgia" over the two regions, Perino said in the toughest US rebuke to Moscow on that dispute.

She cited steps like Russia's "unilateral decision" to send more soldiers to join a peacekeeping mission in Abkhazia and charged that a Russian aircraft had shot down an unarmed Georgian drone. Moscow has denied the accusation.

"These steps have significantly and unnecessarily heightened tensions in the region and run counter to Russia's status as a facilitator of the UN Friends process on Abkhazia," said Perino.

"In contacts with both the Russian and Georgian governments at the highest levels, the United States has firmly reiterated our support for Georgia's territorial integrity and strongly urged Russia to deescalate and reverse its measures," she told reporters.

"We have urged the Georgian government to continue to refrain from any military measures, and pursue a political settlement to its separatist conflicts."

Source : PTI