World News Network

Turkey/SE Europe, Aug 28: Russian and US warships moved to within less than 200 miles of each other today as tensions over Georgia continued to rise between the two countries.

A US coast guard ship docked at a southern Georgian port prompting Russia to send a missile cruiser and two support vessels to another Georgian port.

The manoeuvrings came a day after Russian President Dmitry Medvedev officially recognised the two Georgian rebel territories of South Ossetia and Abkhazia as independent states.

The US cutter Dallas, carrying 34 tons of humanitarian aid, arrived in the Black Sea port of Batumi, south of the zone of this month's fighting between Russia and Georgia. It avoided Georgia's main cargo port of Poti, which is still controlled by Russian soldiers.

Poti's port suffered heavy damage during the fighting and Russian troops have established checkpoints on the northern approach to the city so a US ship's arrival could have been seen as a direct challenge.

The US missile destroyer McFaul left Batumi yesterday but will remain in the Black Sea, the navy said.

Meanwhile Russia's missile cruiser, the Moskva, and two missile boats, anchored at the port of Sukhumi, the capital of Abkhazia, 180 miles north of Batumi. The Russian Navy said they were for peacekeeping operations.

The West has called the Russian military presence in Poti a clear violation of an European Union-brokered cease-fire.

Today France's, currently holding the EU presidency, repeated the accusation.

"Nobody wants a return to the Cold War," president Nicolas Sarkozy said again attacking Russia's decision to recognise the breakaway states.

"This decision, which aims to unilaterally change Georgia's borders, is simply unacceptable," Mr Sarkozy said.

Russia hit back saying the decision to use US warships to deliver aid was "devilish."