Russia vetos UN observer mission in Georgia

Russia has exercised its veto power in the U.N. Security Council and brought an end to the nearly 16-year-old U.N. observer mission in Georgia and breakaway Abkhazia.

Russia’s veto late Monday toppled a Western plan to extend the life of the mission. The vote was 10-1 with four abstentions - China, Vietnam, Libya and Uganda.

The mission’s mandate will now expire at midnight Monday.

Russia recognized the independence of both Abkhazia and South Ossetia since last year’s Georgian-Russian war in South Ossetia. Georgia insists that both regions are still part of its territory.

Russian Ambassador Vitaly Churkin says there is no sense extending the mission since “it’s based on old realities” with objectionable references to Georgia’s name and its territorial sovereignty.