Britain accused of betraying Georgia and handing victory to Russia

Britain is preparing to "sell" Georgia and hand a "victory" to Russia by agreeing to start talks on a partnership agreement between Moscow and the European Union, according to senior European diplomats.

This would amount to a return to "business as usual" and a "clear signal" that Russia had escaped any lasting diplomatic penalty for invading Georgia in August, they said.

Only eight weeks ago, Gordon Brown helped persuade other European leaders to punish Russia for its strike into Georgia by postponing talks on a new "Partnership and Cooperation Agreement" with the EU. Aside from verbal condemnation and a general review of the EU's relations with Moscow, this was the only tangible counter-measure imposed on the Kremlin after the war.

Both the Prime Minister and David Miliband, the Foreign Secretary, reaffirmed Britain's position during a European summit two weeks ago.

Yet European diplomats say that Britain has changed its stance. France, which holds the EU's rotating presidency, is expected to press for starting the talks with Moscow. British officials are said to have privately told other governments that London will not oppose this move.

A senior diplomat from a Central European country recalled how Mr Miliband visited Georgia shortly after the Russian invasion.

"That was the David Miliband we liked. But the signals we hear right now are that somehow the position has changed," he said.

President Nicolas Sarkozy of France will host an EU-Russia summit in Nice on Nov 14. This event could clear the way for negotiations with the Kremlin.

"Miliband was so strongly in favour of us from the first days of the conflict. Now he is making a U-turn within two weeks just to please Sarkozy. What happened in this world that caused this change?" asked the diplomat.

"Sarkozy wants to have a good summit. He's an Emperor, he's trying to celebrate his victories, he's trying to say that Russia is doing everything it's supposed to do, which is nonsense." More