Medvedev blames U.S. for Georgia conflict

MOSCOW, Nov. 5 (UPI) -- Russian President Dmitry Medvedev Wednesday blamed Washington for encouraging Georgia to invade South Ossetia.

Medvedev made the assertion during his first State of the Union speech as president, delivered before the Russian parliament and broadcast on national television, RIA Novosti reported.

The Kremlin has maintained that the U.S. Bush administration influenced a decision by Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili to invade the breakway Georgian republic on Aug. 7. In the speech, Medvedev said, "Georgia's military offensive on South Ossetia was a consequence of policies unilaterally followed by the U.S. administration."

Medvedev also called for military countermeasures to oppose moves by the United States to establish a missile defense shield in Eastern Europe, Novosti said.

Other topics discussed by Medvedev included a promise to push for reforms to global political and economic systems; a vow not to "give up its role" in the Caucasus; assurances that Russia would not compromise political freedoms and private property, and a pledge to protect citizens' savings and pensions, the news agency said.