Russia allies fail to back Moscow on enclaves

MOSCOW (Reuters) - A group of Moscow's ex-Soviet allies on Thursday stopped short of following Russia's recognition of two breakaway regions in Georgia.

While their statement criticised Georgia's aggression it made no reference to Russia's recognition last month of Abkhazia and South Ossetia as independent states. To date, only Nicaragua has followed Russia's lead.

Russia sent troops deep into the Caucasus state last month to prevent Georgian rebels from being crushed by Tbilisi.

But the defence ministers of the Collective Security Treaty Organisation (ODKB) did not follow Russia's lead and recognise South Ossetia and Abkhazia as independent states, leaving Moscow in almost complete international isolation.

"The ministers are deeply concerned about Georgia's military activities in South Ossetia, which led to multiple civilian casualties ... and a major humanitarian catastrophe," they said in a final statement following their meeting in Moscow.

The Russia-led ODKB also includes Belarus, Armenia and the Asian ex-Soviet states of Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan.

The West has condemned Russia for the intervention in which its troops took under control both separatist provinces and seized a large chunk of Georgian territory outside them.

Russia says it has withdrawn most of its forces from the conflict zone under a ceasefire deal mediated by French President Nicolas Sarkozy.

But it has said it will keep a limited number of peacekeepers in "buffer zones" on Georgian territory proper until an effective security mechanism involving international monitors is in place.