Russian and Georgian officials at a leading European security organization sparred Friday over who was to blame for the bloodshed in the breakaway Georgian province of South Ossetia.

Georgia's ambassador to the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, Victor Dolidze, accused Russia of "clear, open, military aggression from one OSCE country to another _ its neighbor, unfortunately."

Vladimir Voronkov, Russia's top delegate to the Vienna-based body, denied any Russian military involvement, claiming that only 500 Russian peacekeepers were in the province.

"There are two sides of conflict in this conflict: South Ossetia and Georgia," he said, adding that Moscow would like to "stop the bloodshed."

The two spoke separately to reporters after a special, closed-door meeting of the 56-member body.

Georgia launched a major military offensive Friday to retake the province from separatists seeking independence for South Ossetia. Russia later sent in troops, saying the forces would protect civilians and Russian peacekeepers already stationed in the province.

Dolidze said Georgia was acting in "self-defense" and would maintain the offensive until it was sure South Ossetia's civilians were safe. "This is not a military operation ... this is (an) anti-criminal operation."

A diplomat who attended the special session said Voronkov accused Georgia's military of a "scorched earth" policy in South Ossetia. The diplomat, speaking on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to divulge details to the media, quoted Dolidze as saying Russian planes had been bombing Georgian territory since morning.

"If this is not war, then I wonder what is," the diplomat quoted Dolidze as saying. Continued...