Berlin - The German government has not discerned any signs that Russia might cut oil deliveries to Europe as part of its response to the crisis over Georgia, a spokesman said Friday.

"We firmly assume that contracts will be adhered to," government spokesman Ulrich Wilhelm said.

He was responding to a report in the London-based Daily Telegraph that the Kremlin would order a cut-off in supplies to Poland and Germany through the Druzhba pipeline.

"There are no signs thus far that contracts and approved deliveries will not be adhered to," Wilhelm said.

Berlin - Russia's actions in Georgia earlier this month had destroyed the order in Europe established after World War II, President Mikheil Saakashvili told German public radio Friday.

The Georgian president warned that Russia would be emboldened by its military success. "They are not going to stop here," he said in an interview with Deutschlandfunk.

"What Russia has done undermines and destroys the whole post-Cold War, post-Second World War European order," he said.

It was the first time since then that a European power had sought to annex territory in a neighbouring country.

Moscow, Aug 29: Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin has said that the Georgia conflict may have been orchestrated by US President George Bush in a bid to get his party’s presidential nominee John McCain win this November election.

Though Putin did not specify which candidate he was talking about, but there was no doubt that he was referring to Senator John McCain, the Republican presidential dandidate, reported the New York Times.

New York  - The UN Security Council met behind closed doors Thursday to discuss the crisis in Georgia, the first meeting of the powerful body since Russia recognized the independence of the two breakaway provinces at the heart of the military conflict.

Russia's decision on Tuesday to recognize Abkhazia and South Ossetia, contrary to previsous Security Council resolutions, drew swift condemnation from the United States and European Union.

Paris  - French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner on Thursday said European nations were considering imposing sanctions against Russia as a result of its actions in Georgia.

Addressing journalists three days before an emergency EU summit in Brussels, Kouchner said "sanctions were being considered, as well as other means" to address the issue, but he did not specify.

"I, myself, would not anticipate sanctions (being imposed), while the meeting has not yet taken place," said Kouchner. France is currently president of the Union and has been at the forefront of the EU's attempts to resolve the crisis.

It was the first time France has brought up the possibility of sanctions against Moscow.

Brussels - The deployment of four NATO warships in the Black Sea was planned more than a year ago and has nothing to do with the latest developments in nearby Georgia, the alliance said Thursday.

The statement from Brussels follows expressions of concern by Russian officials at what they call a "buildup" of NATO ships in the area.

"This deployment is routine in nature and has been planned for over a year, notification of the requirement to transit the Turkish Straits was given in June, well before the current Georgia crisis and is completely unrelated," NATO said.