China and four Central Asian nations voiced support Thursday for Russia's "active role" in resolving the conflict in Georgia, as Moscow moved to deflect criticism from the West. (UPDATED)


China and the others "support the active role of Russia in assisting in peace and cooperation in the region," the six countries said in a statement at the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) regional summit.



"The SCO states express grave concern in connection with the recent tensions around the South Ossetian issue and urge the sides to solve existing problems peacefully, through dialogue, and to make efforts facilitating reconciliation and talks," their statement said.



Russian President Dmitry Medvedev had appealed to the alliance - which consists of member states Russia, China, Kazakhstan and three Central Asian countries of Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan - for unanimous support of Russia's response to Georgia's aggression.



Some say this statement came short of Russia's hopes to secure a clearer support from his Asian allies as the SCO denounced the use of force and called for respect for every countries territorial integrity.



"The presidents reaffirmed their commitment to the principles of respect for historic and cultural traditions of every country and efforts aimed at preserving the unity of a state and its territorial integrity," the declaration said, according to Russian news agencies.



"Placing the emphasis exclusively on the use of force has no prospects and hinders a comprehensive settlement of local conflicts," it said.





NEW WORLD ORDER?

Clashes erupted in the Caucasus when Georgia launched a military operation to regain control in the breakaway region of South Ossetia in Aug 6. Russia's military response to Georgia's operation raised the tension further. Two sides had signed a French-brokered ceasefire.



Russia's later move to recognize the two breakaway regions of Georgia, Abkhazia and South Ossetia, was denounced by Western countries, prompting fears of a reloaded Cold War.



Many analyst think Russia-West relations are far from entering a new Cold War period but instead put in a deep freeze. Moscow seems to have intensified its efforts to create an alternative bloc in world politics.



A while after the clashes in the Caucasus Russia invited Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, who has been snubbed by the U.S., to Moscow and discussed the issue of deploying missiles in the Middle Eastern country. Russia also has a partnership with Iran in nuclear energy.



The SCO submission is considered within the same framework. Although the members of the organization stayed short of giving clear support to Russia, it helped to ease Moscow's international isolation.





EU'S MEETING ON GEORGIA

On the Western side, the EU said it is considering imposing sanctions against Russia, a move slammed by Moscow. On Monday, the EU leaders would meet to discuss the situation in Georgia, French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner said on Thursday.



Asked at a news conference in Paris about measures that could be taken over Moscow's refusal to pull back troops in Georgia, Kouchner said: "Sanctions are being considered and many other means as well".



The comments were immediately dismissed by Kouchner's Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov, who said they were the product of a "sick imagination".



"I think it is a demonstration of complete confusion," he told reporters at a meeting in Tajikistan.



France, which holds the rotating European Union presidency, has called a meeting of EU heads of government on Monday to discuss the Georgian crisis that blew up this month over the Russian-backed separatist enclave of South Ossetia.



"We are trying to elaborate a strong text that will show our determination not to accept (what is happening in Georgia)," Koucher said. "Of course, there are also sanctions."



"I don't want to talk about sanctions myself ahead of time, when the meeting itself has not taken place. But we are working with our 26 partners at this moment," Kouchner added.



He was careful to stress that France itself was not among the countries pressing for sanctions. "I am not proposing them," he said. "I say they will certainly be suggested. Certain countries have already asked that sanctions be imposed."