Nice, France - French President Nicolas Sarkozy launched an impassioned defence Friday of his efforts to end August's Russian-Georgian war, accusing his critics of not having ideas and attacking the role of Georgia's allies, including the United States.

"A number of national leaders said that I shouldn't go to Russia for peace talks or hold a summit with Russia ... What was the best, to have a dialogue or to do nothing? I don't regret taking either decision," a combative Sarkozy said after talks in the French resort of Nice with his Russian counterpart, Dmitry Medvedev.

Challenged on his role in the ending of the Georgian war, Sarkozy singled out the actions of the "Friends of Georgia" (a group including the Baltic states, Poland, and Ukraine) and the United States in what he termed "threats and sabre-rattling."

"If you consider the strategy of some of the 'friends of Georgia' and the strategy of the EU, the EU one is far the better," he said.

"Agitation in the sea close to the conflict, with trouble threatened by certain military vessels, and an anti-missile shield won't be to the benefit of Europe, Russia or anyone else," he said in a swipe at the deployment of US ships to the Black Sea during the August war and US plans to deploy a missile shield in Central Europe.

While he criticized Russia's invasion of Georgia as "disproportionate," he also stressed that it was a reaction to Georgia's attack on its breakaway provinces of South Ossetia and Abkhazia - implying that the blame for the war lies in Tbilisi.

And he condemned those detractors who said that his diplomacy had sacrificed Georgia's territorial integrity by leaving the question of the rebel provinces' status open, saying that "those who criticize don't have any better ideas."

Medvedev also accused Georgia of "aggression" in the breakaway provinces and praised Sarkozy's diplomatic efforts to bring peace.

But he also pointed out that he had given the order for Russian forces to cease hostilities before Sarkozy arrived in Moscow for peace talks.

The two presidents disagreed on the key question of whether Russia has lived up to a six-point peace deal it signed on August 12, and over its controversial recognition of the breakaway zones' independence.

The plan "has been accomplished fully and appropriately," Medvedev said.

Russia has complied "very largely" with the peace plan, but "that means that some (conditions) have not been implemented," Sarkozy said.

And neither man gave any sign of flexibility on the most contentious question, Russia's acceptance of the breakaway zones' independence and the EU's firm rejection of it.

Russia "recognizes the territorial integrity of Georgia, taken into account the recognition of South Ossetia and Abkhazia," Medvedev said, adding that that decision was "irrevocable."

The EU has not recognized the breakaways "because we feel strongly about Georgia's territorial integrity," Sarkozy said.

But both presidents played down the importance of EU-Russia disagreement over the war, stressing instead the "open and frank" nature of their talks on issues such as the financial crisis and European security.

The Georgia issue "was not one of the issues which dominated" the talks, Medvedev said.

"At this, of all times, we don't need extra conflicts or confrontations, more division or wars. What we need to do is to come together in a united front - that's why we wanted this summit," Sarkozy said. (dpa)