Special report: South Ossetia crisis

Photo: South Ossetia crisis

    UNITED NATIONS, Aug. 10 (Xinhua) -- The UN Security Council ended on Sunday another round of consultations without reaching an agreement on a truce call for the escalating conflict in Georgia.

    It was the 15-member body's fourth meeting on the subject since late-night Thursday, when Russia circulated a draft statement urging Georgia and South Ossetian rebels to renounce the use of force.

    After the previous three rounds of talks, the council did not approve the draft as well as its revised versions that included a call for the parties to refrain from the use of violence.

    During Sunday's meeting, U.S. Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad and Russian Ambassador Vitaly Churkin traded accusations over the conflict, which the UN said has spread to Abkhazia, another rebel enclave inside Georgia.

    Citing a telephone call between Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and his U.S. counterpart Condoleezza Rice, Khalilzad accused Russia of attempting a regime change in Georgia.

    "This is completely unacceptable and crosses the line," Khalilzad said.

    He also said through its military offensive against Georgia, Russia was trying to wage "terror" against the local people.

    "We must condemn Russia's military assault on the sovereign state of Georgia ... including the targeting of civilians and the campaign of terror against the Georgian population," he said.

    Churkin vehemently denied the "terror" charge. "This is completely unacceptable, especially from the lips of a representative of a country whose actions we are aware of in Iraq, Afghanistan and Serbia," he retorted.

    Khalilzad said he was preparing a draft resolution that would urge the council to call for an immediate cease-fire and condemn Russia.

    In a briefing to the council at Saturday's meeting, UN Assistant Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations Edmond Mulet said hostilities are continuing in Georgia and there have been a "substantial number of casualties, refugees and destruction. "

    Citing reports from UN peacekeepers in the region, Mulet expressed concerns that the conflict appeared to be spreading into Abkhazia.

    Since late Thursday, the council has been trying to adopt a statement that would call on the warring parties in Georgia to cease violence immediately.

    Belgian UN Ambassador Jan Grauls, the council's president this month, told reporters on Saturday it would be nearly impossible for the council to take any actions at the moment.

    "Regrettably I have come to the conclusion that it will be very difficult, if not impossible, to find common ground within the council on a draft statement to the press," Grauls said.

    South Ossetia declared independence from Georgia in the early 1990s and was governed by a secessionist government since then although its independence has not been internationally recognized. 　

    On Friday, Georgian troops began a military action against South Ossetia's forces in an attempt to re-establish control over the region. In response, Russian troops moved into the region to fight the Georgian forces. Its warplanes also bombed the region.

    Russia said the two-day conflict has killed 1,500 people and the death toll is expected to rise.