U.N. Council Discusses New Georgia Resolution

The consultations, expected at 3.30 p.m. EDT (1930 GMT), were likely to be followed by a formal meeting to take a first look at the draft.

The U.N. Security Council met on Tuesday to discuss a Western-drafted resolution on Georgia that calls on Russia to withdraw immediately to lines held before the recent conflict.

The draft, circulated to council members shortly before the meeting, also calls for the return of Georgian forces to their usual bases and demands full and immediate compliance with the ceasefire both countries have subscribed to.

Western diplomats said they expected veto-holding Russia and possibly other countries on the 15-nation council to oppose the draft.

In one phrase likely to be contested by Russia, the text -- written by France in consultation with other Western countries -- also refers to "the territorial integrity of Georgia within its internationally recognized borders."

The crisis erupted after Georgia sent its military on Aug. 7-8 to try to recapture the rebel, Moscow-backed province of South Ossetia and Russia responded with overwhelming force.

Closed council consultations were followed by a formal meeting at which the council was being briefed on the situation in Georgia by senior U.N. officials.

A vote probably would not be called on Tuesday, Western diplomats said.

The new draft replaces a longer text that would have endorsed a peace plan promoted by French President Nicolas Sarkozy and signed by Georgia and Russia.

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said on Tuesday Moscow wanted a resolution to include the text of the peace plan.

The Kremlin said Medvedev spoke to U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon by telephone about a resolution on South Ossetia.

Some Russian tanks and armored vehicles left the key Georgia town of Gori on Tuesday but NATO said it was freezing contacts with Moscow until all Russian forces were out of the Black Sea state.

The Kremlin said on Tuesday that Russian troops would withdraw to pre-conflict positions by Aug. 22.

But just before the council meeting, French Deputy Ambassador Jean-Pierre Lacroix said: "We are very concerned (the withdrawal) has not taken place yet and we will be discussing this at the council."