SOCHI, (Russia), Aug 26 (Reuters): Russian President Dmitry Medvedev convened security chiefs Tuesday to consider a plea from parliament to recognise two separatist regions of Georgia as independent, a move Washington says would be unacceptable.
The meeting came amid signs Moscow was preparing for a showdown with the West over its action in Georgia.
Georgia and Russia fought a brief war over the breakaway region of South Ossetia earlier this month after Georgia sent in troops to try to retake the province by force. Russia responded with a massive counter-attack by land, sea and air.
Russia's envoy to NATO, Dmitry Rogozin, compared the position to the eve of World War One, saying a new freeze in relations was inevitable.
"The current atmosphere reminds me of the situation in Europe in 1914 ... when because of one terrorist leading world powers clashed," Rogozin told the RBK Daily business newspaper.
"I hope (Georgian President) Mikheil Saakashvili will not go down in history as a new Gavrilo Princip," Rogozin said, referring to the man who in August 1914 killed Austro-Hungarian Archduke Franz Ferdinand, triggering the world war.
The Kremlin gave no details of the security council meeting but a government source said it would start at about 1 p.m. (5 a.m. EDT) in the Black Sea resort of Sochi. Prime Minister Vladimir Putin was to attend.
Medvedev Monday said Russia was ready for whatever action NATO might take, up to and including suspending all cooperation.
"We want our relations to be fully fledged and those of partners, but we do not want an illusion of partnership," the president said at the start of a meeting with Rogozin.
"Naturally we are not happy with being surrounded by military bases, and being told: 'Do not worry, everything's fine."'
