TBILISI: Ex-Soviet Georgia watched nervously on Monday as a deadline for resolving the status of Kosovo expired, fearing a knock-on effect in two Russian-backed separatist regions.

Russia has warned that international recognition of independence for Kosovo would set a precedent for other breakaway regions around the world, including Georgia’s rebel provinces of Abkhazia and South Ossetia.

“The Kosovan question is a major worry in the minds of the Georgian political elite,” political analyst Gia Nodia said.

Georgians fear that if the United States and European Union accept Kosovo’s independence, Russia could retaliate by recognizing Abkhazia and South Ossetia, whose separatist leaders have strong support from Moscow.

This could ignite new conflicts in the strategic country, a key Western ally in the volatile Caucasus region wedged between Russia, Turkey and Iran.

“If Russia recognizes the separatist regimes on Georgian territory after the recognition of Kosovo’s independence, it will cause an extreme escalation of tensions in the region, right up to armed confrontations,” Nodia said.

Kosovo’s leaders warned on Monday they would embark on immediate talks on independence from Serbia as the UN deadline for a negotiated settlement ended.

The United States and major European powers are backing independence for the mostly ethnic-Albanian province.

But Russia continued to oppose this, with Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov telling journalists in Cyprus that recognising Kosovo’s independence would “cause a chain reaction in the Balkans and other areas of the world.”Georgia insists that the Kosovo situation is unique and does not apply to its own rebel provinces.

“The context of Kosovo makes it radically different from conflicts on Georgian territory,” said Dmitri Mandzhivadze, Georgia’s deputy minister for conflict resolution.

Georgian officials say that while Kosovo has established a largely democratic government, Abkhazia and South Ossetia are ruled by “criminal regimes” with no legitimacy.

They also point out that while Kosovo had an ethnic Albanian majority before declaring its drive for independence, Abkhazia had an ethnic Georgian majority which was expelled by minority Abkhaz forces.

“When Russia declares that Kosovo can act as a precedent for other conflicts, it does so for political ends,” Mandzhivadze said.

A senior Georgian lawmaker warned on Friday that Russian recognition of independence for Abkhazia and South Ossetia would amount to a declaration of war.

“We will protect our country’s security and territorial integrity by all means. Russia’s recognition of Abkhaz and South Ossetian independence would by default mean declaring war on Georgia,” Givi Targamadze, the head parliament’s defence committee, told journalists.

Abkhazia and South Ossetia broke away from Georgia during bloody wars in the early 1990s that killed thousands and forced tens of thousands from their homes. The separatists enjoy support from Russia, which has granted passports to residents of both regions and has deployed hundreds of peacekeepers.

Georgian leader Mikheil Saakashvili, who is seeking re-election in January in snap polls called last month, has stepped up efforts to regain control of both regions since coming to power after the 2003 Rose Revolution.

At the same time, tensions with former imperial master Russia have risen sharply, in particular over Saakashvili’s efforts to bring Georgia into Nato.

—AFP