Voice of Bihar

His words came as Moscow said the idea of Georgian territorial integrity was an irrelevance.

Georgia’s breakaway regions – Abkhazia and South Ossetia – would never agree to being part of Georgia again, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said.

Earlier, Russia said it had began handing back the town of Gori to Georgian police but insisted its troops would stay in the area.

A Russian general said his forces were there to remove weaponry and help restore law and order in Gori, which lies some 15km (10 miles) from South Ossetia and on a key route to the Georgian capital, Tbilisi.

Elsewhere, eyewitnesses in the Georgian Black Sea port of Poti said that Russian troops had entered the town in armoured vehicles.

Moscow had earlier denied the reports but Russia’s deputy chief of staff, Gen Anatoly Nogovitsyn, told a televised news conference it was legitimate for Russians to be in Poti as part of intelligence-gathering operations.

Meanwhile, Reuters reported that more than 100 Russian vehicles, some of them armoured, had gathered outside the major western Georgian town of Zugdidi.

Despite concerns that Moscow may not be keen quickly to leave Georgian territory, Mr Gates said the Russians did seem to be pulling back.

“They appear to be withdrawing their forces back towards Abkhazia and to the zone of conflict… towards South Ossetia,” he said.

Gen James Cartwright, vice-chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, also said he believed Russia was “generally complying” with the terms of the truce, which called for its withdrawal from hostilities.

But, Mr Gates warned: “If Russia does not step back from its aggressive posture and actions in Georgia, the US-Russian relationship could be adversely affected for years to come.”

The Russians were trying to redress what they regarded as the many concessions forced on them after the breakup of the Soviet Union and were trying to “reassert their international status”, Mr Gates said.

Georgia was also being punished for its efforts to integrate with the West and in particular to join Nato, the defence secretary went on.

The BBC’s Justin Webb in Washington says Mr Gates’s address was the first effort by a senior member of the Bush administration to set out what the Americans believe is happening in Russia.

But while Mr Gates said Russia’s aggressive posture was not acceptable, our correspondent says, he took an unusual step for the Bush administration in ruling out the use of US force. This is not a fight that America wants to have.

Withdrawal

Georgia attacked the rebel region of South Ossetia from Gori a week ago, prompting Russian retaliation. The Georgians say it followed continuous provocation.

Both sides agreed to a French-brokered ceasefire on Tuesday, amid international concern, but it has seemed fragile so far.

Earlier on Thursday in Moscow, Russia’s President Dmitry Medvedev said Russia would respect any decision South Ossetia and Abkhazia made about their future status.

His words followed warnings from the US that Russia had to respect Georgia’s territorial sovereignty and withdraw its forces.

Meanwhile, the US has sent its second shipment of humanitarian aid into Georgia.

Russia has questioned whether the deliveries contain only humanitarian supplies.

“We must stand united against the threats emanating from terrorism. Terrorists, with their disruptive agenda, will never succeed in discouraging us from our resolve to build a strong India, or from working with our neighbours to eliminate this menace from our region, or from our commitment to forge co-operative relations with other countries across the world,” the 73-year-old President said.

“The ideologues of terrorism have little respect for human life. They incite violence and mindless destruction,” she said.

The President said she was confident that the concept of India that is functioning in unison in a milieu of a vast diversity will continue to define the country’s identity.

“We should pause and reflect on how our conduct and our actions are promoting unity. We must ask ourselves whether our actions are contributing to strengthening of the national fabric and bringing about tolerant thinking.

“We should demonstrate our ability to listen to each other to understand each other and if perceptions do not agree, give to the others the freedom to hold their views,” she said.

Reminding the people that they have duties towards the country, society and family, said in discharging them there was “an obligation to act responsibly.”

Patil also touched upon energy security in her speech and said “as a developing country our demands for energy are growing. We cannot let lack of energy become a constraint on our ability to deliver high levels of growth.

“With the challenges of increased oil prices and climate change, the question of energy security confronts us. We need to look at energy mixes that are sustainable in the long run and are cleaner sources of energy, gradually making deliberate shift to renewable energy,” the President said.

She said it should be country’s national mission to begin exploring ways in which new sources of energy can be harnessed viably.

“Technologies increasing efficiency in energy-intensive sectors need to be developed…any contribution to save energy is a step towards environment protection and in saving the wide diversity of flora and fauna on the planet,” she said.

Patil said due to the government’s efforts and perseverance many achievements have been made by the country in different. “But there are several tasks that await completion and new challenges that need to be addressed. A nation’s work never ends,” she said.

Referring to the government’s flagship programmes for improving the lives of the people, the President said those involved in the implementation of development and social welfare schemes must work with dedication and zeal and without causing delays.

“Implementation done in a transparent and accountable manner will ensure that welfare schemes reach the genuine beneficiaries in a timely manner. Thus, preventing corruption in our system and enhancing efficiency in governance,” she said.

Advocating special attention for the development of agriculture and rural areas, Patil said no one should forget that the food security of the country is dependent on the growth of its agriculture.

“Seventy per cent of our population lives in villages and is dependent on agriculture. Therefore, the development of India will not be comprehensive or complete unless there is development in the rural areas and increased agriculture productivity,” she added.

The President said social evils like dowry, female feoticide, discrimination against girl child, domestic violence, tobacco, drugs and alcohol were blocking the country from becoming a progressive nation.

“We must look at a nationwide addiction focussed eradication programme. Eliminating addiction and fighting social evils can be a slow process as it involves changing attitudes,” she added.

Stressing for inclusion of women in development programmes, the President said “real development cannot take root if it bypasses women, who represent the very pivot around which social change takes shape.”