Attacks on Georgia 'deplorable'

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Georgia on Sunday night offered a ceasefire and said it was withdrawing troops from the breakaway province of South Ossetia.

But prospects of peace were cast in doubt after Russia launched air strikes on the Georgian capital Tbilisi and its navy sank a Georgian boat in the Black Sea.

Meanwhile, Moscow accused Georgian forces of firing on Russian troops in the South Ossetian capital Tskhinvali.

Britain's Europe Minister Jim Murphy said Russia's military action was "deplorable".

He told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "The fact that Russia is now going even beyond Abkhazia and South Ossetia, bombing sites near to the Georgian capital of Tbilisi, the fact that Russia has mobilised at least part of the Black Sea fleet off the coast of Georgia is entirely deplorable Russian military behaviour.

"There cannot be a military solution to this, it is absolutely clear."

Diplomatic efforts to bring an end to the crisis continued today with a conference call between foreign ministers from the G7 countries - the G8 minus Russia.

This will be followed by an emergency meeting of all 27 EU countries in Brussels on Wednesday.

Mr Murphy said the aim was to maximise diplomatic pressure on Russia.