Russia is voicing surprise at the White House move to withdraw a bilateral civilian nuclear cooperation agreement from consideration by Congress.

The Russian Foreign Ministry, in a statement Tuesday, called President George Bush's move to withdraw the deal from congressional consideration wrong, and in Moscow's words, "politicized." 

Mr. Bush sent a withdrawal message to Congress Monday, in response to Russia's military incursion into Georgia last month.  He called Russia's action "incompatible with peaceful relations with its sovereign and democratic neighbor."

The president said he could re-submit the deal to Congress for its approval, if circumstances change in Georgia.  

Moscow and Washington signed the nuclear cooperation deal earlier this year.  It would have allowed U.S. and Russian companies to enter joint ventures in the nuclear industry.  Business analysts say the deal could have been worth billions of dollars.