Russia Disappointed With U.S. Over Georgia Missile

Deputy Foreign Minister Grigory Karasin said Washington jumped to conclusions (ITAR-TASS) August 20, 2007 -- An official today said Russia is disappointed with the United States and other countries for their "haste" in taking Georgia's side in a row over a missile dropped on Georgian soil.

First Deputy Foreign Minister Grigory Karasin made the statement on Russia's Vesti-24 television station, saying the issue is significant for regional stability.

Georgia accuses Russia of violating Georgian airspace and dropping a one-ton missile -- which failed to explode -- in a field about 65 km from the capital, Tbilisi, on August 6. Moscow denies involvement and says Tbilisi fabricated the incident.

Washington has condemned what it calls the rocket attack on Georgia.

A group of military experts from the United States, Sweden, Latvia and Lithuania last week backed Georgia's allegations that the missile was dropped by a Russian jet. Russia dismissed those findings as inconclusive.

An envoy appointed by the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) to investigate the incident is meeting with officials in Tbilisi today, and will travel to Moscow later this week.

(Reuters)