.NATO envoys: Russia must leave Georgia
TBILISI, Georgia (AP) - Diplomats from every NATO nation demanded immediate Russian withdrawal from Georgia in a show of support from the U.S. ally's capital on Monday that made no promise of faster membership in the alliance.
NATO Secretary-General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer led 26 envoys in calling on Moscow to comply with a cease-fire deal and withdraw to positions its forces held before fighting with Georgia erupted Aug. 7.
But the diplomats offered no positive response to Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili's call to "accelerate" Georgia's integration into NATO. Saakashvili said Russia's invasion should not keep his country out of its "proper and rightful home" in the alliance.
NATO decided in April not to offer Georgia the first step toward membership, while assuring the country that it would eventually join. De Hoop Scheffer said those decisions stand.
He offered no timetable, saying Monday's visit would help "assess how to further enhance the NATO-Georgia partnership." Georgia, where thousands of Russian troops are deployed, must move forward with democratic reforms despite the difficulties caused by the war, he stressed.
The NATO ambassadors' trip to Georgia was scheduled long ago.
But by sending troops deep into Georgia and recognizing the separatist regions of South Ossetia and Abkhazia as independent nations, the Kremlin raised the stakes in the struggle with the West for regional influence, and underscored its determination to halt NATO's expansion.
The unresolved status of South Ossetia and Abkhazia has always given alliance members pause about accepting Georgia. The war and its aftermath have deepened NATO's predicament. Russia's grip on the separatist regions raises questions about how to handle the membership aspirations of a country with large chunks of territory beyond its control.
"I hope that over the next few days we will work hard together to show that Georgia is firmly on track and to accelerate my country's integration into the Euro-Atlantic family, our proper and rightful home," Saakashvili said.
De Hoop Scheffer and Georgian Prime Minister Lado Gurgenidze signed an agreement establishing a NATO-Georgia Commission that will oversee future relations.
Beyond that, the NATO chief had no easy answers.
"I certainly hope ... given the very serious situation existing as it is, that there will be progress there" with Georgia's aspirations, he said.
As the ambassadors arrived in Tbilisi, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev warned the West it would be "senseless" to pressure the Kremlin with sanctions - a step Western countries have not taken.
He also dismissed calls by some Western diplomats to prevent Russia from joining the World Trade Organization.
"Sanctions as a weapon will backfire," he said.
U.S.-educated Saakashvili has close ties with Washington, and the United States has pushed for Georgia's membership in NATO. The U.S. ambassador to NATO said that Russia must not be allowed to block Georgia's efforts.
"If we allow Russia to deny Georgia its ambitions of taking a place in the international community just by occupying part of the territory, we are giving Russia a veto over Georgia's future," Kurt Volker told AP Television News and other media Monday.
Volker said it was not yet clear whether NATO would decide to grant Georgia a Membership Action Plan - a key step toward joining the alliance - when it examines the nation's progress in December.
The war began when Georgian forces launched an attack to regain control over South Ossetia - though Saakashvili claims Georgia was responding to Russian aggression. Russian tanks, troops and warplanes repelled the offensive and then pushed into Georgia.
After an initial pullback last month, Russia has pledged to withdraw its forces from Georgian territory outside South Ossetia and Abkhazia within 10 days of the deployment of EU monitors expected to be in place by Oct. 1.
But Moscow has said it will maintain nearly 8,000 troops in South Ossetia and Abkhazia for the foreseeable future. The U.S. and European Union say that would violate the commitment to withdraw to pre-conflict positions.
MyWay
Wow this must be some great new breakthrough in transplant surgery, either that or they miraculously grew a pair
NATO Secretary-General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer led 26 envoys in calling on Moscow to comply with a cease-fire deal and withdraw to positions its forces held before fighting with Georgia erupted Aug. 7.
But the diplomats offered no positive response to Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili's call to "accelerate" Georgia's integration into NATO. Saakashvili said Russia's invasion should not keep his country out of its "proper and rightful home" in the alliance.
NATO decided in April not to offer Georgia the first step toward membership, while assuring the country that it would eventually join. De Hoop Scheffer said those decisions stand.
He offered no timetable, saying Monday's visit would help "assess how to further enhance the NATO-Georgia partnership." Georgia, where thousands of Russian troops are deployed, must move forward with democratic reforms despite the difficulties caused by the war, he stressed.
The NATO ambassadors' trip to Georgia was scheduled long ago.
But by sending troops deep into Georgia and recognizing the separatist regions of South Ossetia and Abkhazia as independent nations, the Kremlin raised the stakes in the struggle with the West for regional influence, and underscored its determination to halt NATO's expansion.
The unresolved status of South Ossetia and Abkhazia has always given alliance members pause about accepting Georgia. The war and its aftermath have deepened NATO's predicament. Russia's grip on the separatist regions raises questions about how to handle the membership aspirations of a country with large chunks of territory beyond its control.
"I hope that over the next few days we will work hard together to show that Georgia is firmly on track and to accelerate my country's integration into the Euro-Atlantic family, our proper and rightful home," Saakashvili said.
De Hoop Scheffer and Georgian Prime Minister Lado Gurgenidze signed an agreement establishing a NATO-Georgia Commission that will oversee future relations.
Beyond that, the NATO chief had no easy answers.
"I certainly hope ... given the very serious situation existing as it is, that there will be progress there" with Georgia's aspirations, he said.
As the ambassadors arrived in Tbilisi, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev warned the West it would be "senseless" to pressure the Kremlin with sanctions - a step Western countries have not taken.
He also dismissed calls by some Western diplomats to prevent Russia from joining the World Trade Organization.
"Sanctions as a weapon will backfire," he said.
U.S.-educated Saakashvili has close ties with Washington, and the United States has pushed for Georgia's membership in NATO. The U.S. ambassador to NATO said that Russia must not be allowed to block Georgia's efforts.
"If we allow Russia to deny Georgia its ambitions of taking a place in the international community just by occupying part of the territory, we are giving Russia a veto over Georgia's future," Kurt Volker told AP Television News and other media Monday.
Volker said it was not yet clear whether NATO would decide to grant Georgia a Membership Action Plan - a key step toward joining the alliance - when it examines the nation's progress in December.
The war began when Georgian forces launched an attack to regain control over South Ossetia - though Saakashvili claims Georgia was responding to Russian aggression. Russian tanks, troops and warplanes repelled the offensive and then pushed into Georgia.
After an initial pullback last month, Russia has pledged to withdraw its forces from Georgian territory outside South Ossetia and Abkhazia within 10 days of the deployment of EU monitors expected to be in place by Oct. 1.
But Moscow has said it will maintain nearly 8,000 troops in South Ossetia and Abkhazia for the foreseeable future. The U.S. and European Union say that would violate the commitment to withdraw to pre-conflict positions.
MyWay
Wow this must be some great new breakthrough in transplant surgery, either that or they miraculously grew a pair
posted by madtom at 7:48 PM
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