Saakashvili says Russia overplaying its hand

By Mark Trevelyan

TBILISI (Reuters) - President Mikheil Saakashvili said on Wednesday Moscow had overplayed its hand by backing independence for two Georgian regions and the world must now call its bluff and "roll back Russian aggression".

In a late-night interview in his office, Saakashvili also told Reuters Television that Europe was in "mortal danger" from its reliance on Russian energy and Georgia could further develop its role as a transit state to help reduce that dependence.

"The point here is the Russians are bluffing and they're overplaying their hand," Saakashvili declared, well-groomed in a dark blue suit and speaking fluent English in an interview that began at 20 minutes past midnight.

"They have more than enough soldiers on the ground to confront a small Georgian armed force. We can never match 3,000 tanks in our territory. But trying to bully the West, the Americans? This is just beyond their resources."

Saakashvili said the conflict was following the "blueprint" of Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, who he suggested was still calling the shots in Moscow despite being succeeded as president by Dmitry Medvedev.

But he said Russia was "overestimating" itself, buoyed by its surging oil revenues, and questioned its ability to sustain a return to all-out confrontation with the West.

Asked if Georgian entry to NATO -- his over-riding priority -- might not draw the Western alliance itself into war with Russia, the 40-year-old president replied: "I don't think Russia first of all has the resources for World War Three, I don't think Russia even has resources for a new Cold War, even as much as they might want to have."

CHALLENGE CLEARER