WASHINGTON, Sept. 5 (Xinhua) -- The United States will possibly scrap its civilian nuclear cooperation agreement with Russia next week in response to Russia's military actions in Georgia and its recognition of the independence of Georgia's breakaway regions of South Ossetia and Abkhazia.

    "It's probably going to happen next week," said a State Department official who asked not to be identified.

    "The president (George W. Bush) has to withdraw the document from Congress. So he needs to take that step, and that's what will happen," the official said.

    White House spokeswoman Dana Perino said late last week that it was considering scrapping its civil nuclear agreement with Russia.

    The United States and Russia signed an agreement in Moscow in May on cooperation in the nuclear energy industry. Under the agreement, American and Russian companies will be allowed to form joint ventures in the nuclear sector and will facilitate the transfer of nuclear material between the two countries.

    Abkhazia and South Ossetia broke from central Georgian rule during wars in the early 1990s following the collapse of the former Soviet Union, but their self-proclaimed independence is not recognized internationally.

    On Aug. 7, Georgia sent in troops to reclaim South Ossetia, to which Russia responded with a military offensive, driving Georgian forces out of the region and taking over parts of Georgian territory.