Russia must not start new Cold War: Britain

Britain's Foreign Secretary David Miliband speaks during a news conference with his Italian counterpart Franco Frattini in London July 30, 2008.

KIEV (Reuters) - British Foreign Secretary David Miliband said on Wednesday Russian President Dmitry Medvedev had a big responsibility not to start a new Cold War which the West does not want.

Britain was among many countries to condemn Russia's recognition of Georgia's breakaway regions of South Ossetia and Abkhazia on and Miliband earlier called for an international coalition to counter it.

"Russia has not reconciled itself to the new map of this new region ... We do not want a new Cold War and he (Medvedev) has a big responsibility not to start one," Miliband told a group of students in Ukraine's capital, Kiev.

"We need to raise the costs to Russia for disregarding its responsibility," he said, adding that there would be a conference call involving the foreign ministers of the G7.

"We need to re-examine the nature, depth and breadth of relations (with Russia)," he said.

Russia's military launched an overwhelming counter-attack earlier this month after Georgia tried to regain control of South Ossetia by force and Moscow's troops are still occupying some areas of Georgian territory.

(Reporting by Sabina Zawadzki)