Georgia crisis entrenches Europe & NATO splits

By Paul Taylor - Analysis

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - The Georgia crisis has sharpened divisions in Europe about how to deal with Russia and splits within NATO over the wisdom of granting membership to Russian neighbors Georgia and Ukraine.

Splits within the European Union over who is to blame for Russia's conflict with Georgia over the breakaway region of South Ossetia make it virtually impossible to envisage the 27-nation bloc taking steps to punish Russia, analysts said.

In NATO too, the crisis has not fundamentally changed any minds either about how to deal with Russia or whether Georgia and Ukraine should be admitted to the alliance.

"It's going to make it more difficult for the EU to have a Russia policy. The war if anything has divided the European Union's member states," said Tomas Valasek, director of foreign policy at the Centre for European Reform, a British think-tank.

A senior member of the European Commission said the crisis had dashed hopes of a fresh start between Europe and new Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, who took over in May from Vladimir Putin, now prime minister.

"This has ended Medvedev's honeymoon with the West. It's clear that Putin, not Medvedev, is in charge. We had hoped for a new start. Now we have a new start, but of a different kind," he said.

"It is clear that the Russian military action is bound to have consequences for EU-Russia relations."

He said EU foreign ministers would discuss that in more depth at their informal retreat in Avignon, France, on Sept 5-6. Among the issues that may be discussed are whether to continue with visa liberalization talks with Russia.