Cisco (NSDQ:CSCO) is appealing the European Commission's approval of Microsoft's $8.5 billion acquisition of Skype, on grounds that Skype's platform doesn't interoperate with other vendors' video communication systems, and that a move by Microsoft (NSDQ:MSFT) to integrate Skype exclusively with its Lync unified communications (UC) platform would be bad for customers.

It's a sign of increasing tension between Cisco and Microsoft, who are strategic partners in some areas, but also competitors in the UC and video spaces. Cisco is asking European regulators to put conditions on the Skype deal, and Cisco's top video executive said Wednesday that if Microsoft integrates Skype only with Lync, Microsoft "could lock in businesses who want to reach Skype's 700 million account holders to a Microsoft-only platform."

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