SOssetia free to vote to rejoin Georgia -- Putin

BERLIN, Oct 10 (Reuters) Moscow would not stand in the way of the reunification of South Ossetia with Georgia if Ossetian voters choose that in a referendum, Russian President Vladimir Putin was quoted as saying today.

South Ossetia, wedged between Georgia and Russia, has said it will hold a referendum on independence next month -- a vote virtually certain to back up a 1992 plebiscite in favour of breaking away from Tblisi and strengthen Russian relations.

''We are prepare to help Georgia recover its territorial integrity. We assume that this can only take place through a referendum of the people of Ossetia. You can't force it,'' Putin was quoted as saying to the daily Sueddeutsche Zeitung.

South Ossetia's new referendum coincides with discussions on giving Kosovo independence from Serbia -- which the South Ossetian leadership regard as favourable to its own cause.

''What is necessary is diplomacy and humanitarian measures,'' Putin was quoted as saying.

''Georgia's leaders, however, are doing everything to ensure that the problem is resolved by war. The Georgians arm themselves disproportionately and are breaking all agreements. Domestic problems should not be resolved with anti-Russian rhetoric and by adopting a war mentality,'' he said.

Russian relations with Georgia went from bad to worse after Tbilisi briefly arrested four of its army officers on September 27 on espionage charges. Moscow says Tbilisi has acted in a provocative and hostile manner and needs to show greater respect for its giant northern neighbour.

South Ossetia fought Georgian rule in the early 1990s. A ceasefire was signed but the violence has threatened to reignite, especially since pro-Western Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili was elected in 2004 and vowed to reunify the country. Russia has peacekeeping troops there.

Last month Georgia accused Russia of helping rebels shoot down one of its military helicopters in South Ossetia carrying its Defence Minister. Russia rejected the accusation.

REUTERS SHB ND2326