September 10, 2008	Wednesday	Ramazan 09, 1429

MADRID, Sept 9: Georgia launched an offensive last month to regain control of a separatist region after receiving advice from the United States and some European countries, former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev said on Tuesday.

During an interview with Spanish newspaper El Pais in which he was asked if Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili acted alone in deciding to launch the military operation in South Ossetia, Gorbachev replied: “Of course not.”

Asked who advised the Georgian president, Gorbachev said: “If you do not know, I will have to tell you: The United States. But also a number of European Union member states.”

Last month, Gorbachev accused Saakashvili of “recklessness” which prompted Russia’s decision to invade its neighbour and said the Georgian leader “would not have dared to attack without outside support”.—AFP