Russian Premier Vladimir Putin was accused of "cynicism" over recent comments on the August 2008 conflict between Russia and Georgia by a Georgian first deputy foreign minister on Tuesday.

Putin said on Monday that Georgia and South Ossetia should resolve their problems themselves, and not seek solutions from third countries.

The Russian premier was speaking after U. S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton had criticized Russia's decisions to open military bases in South Ossetia and Abkhazia.

"Unfortunately, this is the usual political cynicism of almost the whole political establishment of our big neighbor...We are accustomed to this," Giorgi Bokeria said.

Long-standing tensions between Russia and the former Soviet republic of Georgia turned violent during a five-day war in August 2008, when Tbilisi attacked South Ossetia, where most residents are Russian passport holders, in an attempt to bring it back under central control.

TBILISI, July 6 (RIA Novosti)