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Six ex-Soviet neighbors back Russia over Georgia
The Associated Press
Friday, September 5, 2008
MOSCOW: Russia scored an important diplomatic victory Friday when it
secured support from six other former Soviet nations for its war in
Georgia. Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said that he and other
leaders of nations that are members of the Collective Security Treaty
Organization signed a declaration Friday condemning Georgia's attack
aimed at regaining control of its breakaway province of South Ossetia.
The declaration said members of the group are "deeply concerned about
an attempt by Georgia to solve the conflict in South Ossetia by force
which has led to numerous casualties among civilian population and
peacekeepers and entailed grave humanitarian consequences."
The declaration also supported an "active role of Russia in helping
peace and security in the region" and spoke about the need to "ensure
firm security for South Ossetia and Abkhazia," the two breakaway
Georgian provinces whose independence Moscow has recognized.
Members of the security pact stopped short, however, of following
Russia's example in recognizing the two provinces. Medvedev said at a
news conference that the alliance members will make a decision on the
issue "proceeding from their national interests."
The Russian-led security group links Russia with Armenia, Belarus and
four Central Asian nations: Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and
Uzbekistan. The support from resource-rich Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan,
which have been courted by the West, is particularly important for
Russia.
The war in Georgia has plunged Russia's relations with the West to
their post-Cold War low. Only few countries, including Cuba and
Venezuela, had previously backed Russia's action. Friday's statement
represented a key victory for the Kremlin, which has struggled to
expand its base of support.
The statement from the security alliance follows U.S. Vice President
Dick Cheney's trip this week to Azerbaijan, Georgia and Ukraine which
Moscow intended to show support for their pro-Western governments.
Russia responded to Georgia's attack on South Ossetia launched Aug. 7
by sending a military force that quickly routed the Georgian military
and pushed deep into Georgia. The United States and the European Union
nations have condemned the Russian attack on Georgia as
disproportionate and strongly urged Moscow to withdraw its troops from
the Georgian territory.
Russia lashed back at the United States, saying that U.S. military
assistance to Georgia over the past several years had encouraged
Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili to launch an offensive in South
Ossetia. Russian officials have bristled at the U.S. deliveries of
humanitarian aid to Georgia aboard U.S. Navy ships, saying the they
could be a cover for weapons shipments.
The flagship of the U.S. Navy's Mediterranean fleet anchored outside a
key Georgian port Friday, defiantly bringing in tons of humanitarian
aid to a city still partly occupied by hundreds of Russian troops.
In an apparent reference to a US$1 billion aid package announced by
Washington, Medvedev sternly warned against providing more assistance
to Georgia. "We don't want Georgia, which acted as the aggressor, to
continue to arm itself in an uncontrolled way and with unknown aims
and completely unclear consequences," he said.
"It seems to me this is a lesson for the entire world community,
including for those who make decisions to provide Georgia with extra
financing and technical military cooperation," Medvedev said without
naming any nation.
The Associated Press
Friday, September 5, 2008
MOSCOW: Russia scored an important diplomatic victory Friday when it
secured support from six other former Soviet nations for its war in
Georgia. Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said that he and other
leaders of nations that are members of the Collective Security Treaty
Organization signed a declaration Friday condemning Georgia's attack
aimed at regaining control of its breakaway province of South Ossetia.
The declaration said members of the group are "deeply concerned about
an attempt by Georgia to solve the conflict in South Ossetia by force
which has led to numerous casualties among civilian population and
peacekeepers and entailed grave humanitarian consequences."
The declaration also supported an "active role of Russia in helping
peace and security in the region" and spoke about the need to "ensure
firm security for South Ossetia and Abkhazia," the two breakaway
Georgian provinces whose independence Moscow has recognized.
Members of the security pact stopped short, however, of following
Russia's example in recognizing the two provinces. Medvedev said at a
news conference that the alliance members will make a decision on the
issue "proceeding from their national interests."
The Russian-led security group links Russia with Armenia, Belarus and
four Central Asian nations: Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and
Uzbekistan. The support from resource-rich Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan,
which have been courted by the West, is particularly important for
Russia.
The war in Georgia has plunged Russia's relations with the West to
their post-Cold War low. Only few countries, including Cuba and
Venezuela, had previously backed Russia's action. Friday's statement
represented a key victory for the Kremlin, which has struggled to
expand its base of support.
The statement from the security alliance follows U.S. Vice President
Dick Cheney's trip this week to Azerbaijan, Georgia and Ukraine which
Moscow intended to show support for their pro-Western governments.
Russia responded to Georgia's attack on South Ossetia launched Aug. 7
by sending a military force that quickly routed the Georgian military
and pushed deep into Georgia. The United States and the European Union
nations have condemned the Russian attack on Georgia as
disproportionate and strongly urged Moscow to withdraw its troops from
the Georgian territory.
Russia lashed back at the United States, saying that U.S. military
assistance to Georgia over the past several years had encouraged
Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili to launch an offensive in South
Ossetia. Russian officials have bristled at the U.S. deliveries of
humanitarian aid to Georgia aboard U.S. Navy ships, saying the they
could be a cover for weapons shipments.
The flagship of the U.S. Navy's Mediterranean fleet anchored outside a
key Georgian port Friday, defiantly bringing in tons of humanitarian
aid to a city still partly occupied by hundreds of Russian troops.
In an apparent reference to a US$1 billion aid package announced by
Washington, Medvedev sternly warned against providing more assistance
to Georgia. "We don't want Georgia, which acted as the aggressor, to
continue to arm itself in an uncontrolled way and with unknown aims
and completely unclear consequences," he said.
"It seems to me this is a lesson for the entire world community,
including for those who make decisions to provide Georgia with extra
financing and technical military cooperation," Medvedev said without
naming any nation.