NATO condemns referendum in Georgia rebel region

BRUSSELS, Nov 11 (Reuters) The NATO military alliance today condemned a planned referendum on independence in Georgia's breakaway region of South Ossetia, saying it would increase tensions in the region.

''On behalf of NATO, I join other international leaders in rejecting the so-called 'referendum' and 'elections' conducted in the South Ossetia/Tskhinvali region of Georgia,'' NATO Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer said in a statement.

''Such actions serve no purpose other than to exacerbate tensions in the South Caucasus region. The international community, including NATO, has strongly and continuously reaffirmed its support for the territorial integrity of Georgia,'' he added.

South Ossetia, which has about 70,000 people, separated itself from Tbilisi's control in a war that ended 14 years ago.

It will ask voters tomorrow to re-affirm their support for a split that Georgia condemns as illegal and has vowed to reverse.

Georgia's conflict with South Ossetia and a second breakaway region, Abkhazia, have pitted it against Moscow. Most residents of the two regions hold Russian passports and Georgia accuses Moscow of effectively annexing them.

REUTERS MQA RK1700