U.S. Russia clash in UNSC as fighting across Georgia widens

UNITED NATIONS: - United States U.N. Ambaddaor Zalmay Khalilzad Sunday accused Russia of seeking "regime change" in Georgia and waging "a campaign of terror" against the Georgian people, sparking a bitter verbal clash with his Russian counterpart in the Security Council, which again failed to agree on a truce call for the widening conflict.

Reacting angrily to the U.S. Statement, Russian Ambassador Vitaly Churkin rejected 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.

Citing a telephone call between Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and U.S. secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, the  U.S. ambassador accused Russia of attempting a regime change in Georgia.

"This is completely unacceptable and crosses the line," Khalilzad said. "Russia must affirm that its aim is not to change the democratically elected government of Georgia and that it accepts that territorial integrity and sovereignty of Georgia."