NATO cools ties with Russia over Georgia conflict
Washington, 19 August (IranVNC)—NATO foreign ministers today said that there would be no “business as usual” with Russia until Moscow fully withdraws its troops from Georgia.
By: IranVNC
Published: Tuesday, August 19, 2008
13:30GMT—9:30AM/EST
NATO – RUSSIA – GEORGIA
Washington, 19 August (IranVNC)—NATO foreign ministers today said that there would be no “business as usual” with Russia until Moscow fully withdraws its troops from Georgia.
“The Alliance is considering seriously the implications of Russia’s actions for the NATO-Russia relationship,” read a joint declaration from the 26 NATO states issued today.
The statement added: “We have determined that we cannot continue with business as usual. We call on Moscow to demonstrate – both in word and deed – its continued commitment to the principles upon which we agreed to base our relationship.”
The declaration was issued after talks at the NATO headquarters in Brussels on the conflict between Russia and Georgia over the separatist Georgian province of South Ossetia.
Russian tanks and armored vehicles withdrew from the strategic Georgian town of Gori today, but Shota Utiashvili, spokesperson for Georgia’s Interior Ministry, said today that the move was only a “show aimed at creating the illusion of a withdrawal,” AFP reports.
NATO Secretary-General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer told a news conference after the talks that NATO did not plan to isolate Russia, but that the military alliance could not move forward until Russia withdraws from its neighbor.
“We certainly have not the intention to close all doors,” he told reporters, adding: “The future will depend on concrete actions from the Russians.”
He continued: “We are not going to cut all contacts. But let us start… with the Russian withdrawal back to the August 6-7 line.”
Under a French-brokered peace deal, both Russia and Georgia vowed to pull their troops back to the positions they held before the fighting erupted on 7 August.
US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice also denounced Russia’s actions, and dismissed charges that Washington was seeking to isolate the Moscow. She told reporters that it is “the behavior of Russia in this crisis” that is separating Moscow from the international community.
“When you start invading small neighbors, when you start bombing civilian infrastructure, going into villages and wreaking havoc and wanton destruction – that’s what is isolating Russia,” she said.
Tensions between Russia and Georgia erupted on 7 August when Georgian troops launched an attack on the Russian-backed breakaway region of South Ossetia. Russia responded with a military offensive that has expanded into other parts of Georgia.
Sources: NATO website, Agence France-Presse
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