Russian credibility “damaged”, Bush says
Washington, 15 August (IranVNC)—US President George W. Bush today reiterated his support for Georgia and warned that Russia “has damaged” its credibility with Western nations as a result of its weeklong military conflict with Georgia.
By: IranVNC
Published: Friday, August 15, 2008
15:00GMT—11:00AM/EST
BUSH – RICE – GEORGIA
Washington, 15 August (IranVNC)—US President George W. Bush today reiterated his support for Georgia and warned that Russia “has damaged” its credibility with Western nations as a result of its weeklong military conflict with Georgia.
“With its actions in recent days, Russia has damaged its credibility and its relations with the nations of the free world. Bullying and intimidation are not acceptable ways to conduct foreign policy in the 21st century,” Bush said in a live broadcast from the White House.
Bush said he would be briefed on developments in Georgia by Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, who arrived in Tbilisi today to urge Georgia to sign a French-brokered ceasefire agreement with Russia.
En route to Tbilisi, Rice told reporters: “I think it would be major accomplishment for Georgia to get the Russians out of their country and back effectively to the status quo" that existed before the conflict erupted one week ago,” AFP reports.
Rice added she had received “some important” clarifications to ensure Georgia’s interests were protected when she met with France’s President Nicolas Sarkozy in Paris yesterday.
The agreement provides for the withdrawal of Russian troops and cessation of hostilities. It does not, however, address the long-running territorial dispute over the separatist regions.
The accord also gives Russia limited, new authority to patrol Georgian territory, which concerns Washington, a senior US official told Reuters on condition of anonymity.
The military conflict erupted last week when Georgia, a close US ally, launched an offensive to reclaim the pro-Russian region of South Ossetia, which declared independence from Georgia in 1992. Moscow immediately executed a counter-offensive.
Rice said her discussions with Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili would not address the conflict with Russia over the South Ossetia region or a second breakaway region, Abkhazia, which she said would have to be resolved through the UN Security Council.
Sources: Reuters, Agence France-Presse
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