By DemocracyRules
The Russian foreign ministry recently issued an indignant statement that takes issue with President Bush for equating communism with Hitlerism. "In the 20th century," a proclamation issued by Bush said, "the evils of Soviet communism and Nazi fascism were defeated and freedom spread around the world as new democracies emerged." This patently accurate statement was denounced as rewriting history... (the rest here)
23 AUGUST
-- Russia Intends to Keep Georgian Port of Poti
-- South Ossetian leader Eduard Kokoity indicated that ethnic Georgians will not be allowed to return to their homes in South Ossetia. "There is nothing left anymore" for them to come back to, he said.
-- As Russia invaded Georgia, it declared that 2,000 had already died. Many in the MSM news reported this as fact. However, Russian investigators are now reporting 133 documented deaths among those who were "loyal to Russia".
-- In June, France decided to rejoin NATO, which is likely to strengthen NATO's resolve about the Russian invasion of Georgia.
-- Georgia has several pipelines running through it, and Russia hates this. They especially dislike the BTC pipeline, which is very large and bypasses Russia and Iran. It runs from the Caspian sea to Ceyhan, Turkey, and will eventually deliver up to 1.2 million barrels of oil per day..
The BTC pipeline recently re-opened, and an oil tanker is due in Ceyhan on August 25 to load a shipment.
Also, BP has resumed pumping gas through the South Caucasus pipeline.
I think the WREP pipeline, which terminates at Supsa, Georgia, on the Black Sea coast, is still closed. It normally carries about 100,000 barrels per day.
-- Sometime soon, the three US ships that are headed to Georgia will have to find a place to make port in Georgia.
-- Human Rights Watch details the cluster bombing of civilians in Georgia
22 AUGUST
-- Here are some notable events reported by the Georgian Foreign Ministry Office. "The information below is accurate to the best of our knowledge, but is subject to verification."
14:30 Russian troops start withdrawal from Igoeti and Kaspi 25kms from Tbilisi towards Gori. Gori remains under Russian control.
12:00 Deputy Chief of Staff of Russian Army Anatoly Nogovitsin says on press conference that Russia will keep 18 checkpoints on South Ossetian-Georgian “border” and in buffer zone. The same amount of Check points and 2142 soldiers will remain on Georgian-Abkhazian “border”.
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Press Conference after a meeting between the Chairman of the OSCE (Organiation for Security abd Cooperation in Europe) and Gerogia Foriegn Minster Eka Tkeshelashvili
Mrs. Eka Tkeshelashvili:
Greetings! I’d like to brief you the on main aspects of our meeting.
As as you know, twenty OSCE monitors will shortly arrive in Georgia to assess the extent to which the Russian side complies with its commitments under the ceasefire agreement. It is the beginning of the process. OSCE plans to increase the number of monitors soon and extend the scope of their activity. We therefore discussed the ways in which this mission should be carried out and the area that needs to be covered by monitors and international observers. We also focused on the role the European Union should play in resolving the existing crisis.
Today we are faced with two tasks. The first task is a short-term one, and envisages ensuring full compliance with the ceasefire agreement, which means that the Russian side should not be allowed to interpret this agreement wrongly and unilaterally and continue, based on its own discretionary decisions, deploying Russian troops on the territory of Georgia. We are also seriously focused on the second stage of the process, which will ensue after reaching compliance with the ceasefire agreement and de-escalation of the situation. This second stage envisages achieving restoration of Georgia’s territorial integrity through international peaceful mechanisms and full protection of human rights throughout the entire territory of Georgia, which will prevent further emergence of such ‘uncontrolled places’ where human rights violations will run rife and criminal regimes will become a functioning reality. It must forever become a past chapter of Georgian history. The population on the territory of Georgia whatever their ethnic origin should be allowed the opportunity to benefit from the rule of law, democracy, absolute protection of human rights, they should consider themselves members of a European country and enjoy all the benefits of being citizens of a European country.
I would like to thank once again our guest for his personal and active involvement in the problem resolving process both in the capacity as OSCE Chairman-in-Office and Finnish Foreign Minister. Let me give him the floor.
Mr. Alexander Stubb:
Thank you very much.
I would like to stress three points. Point number one is about our operation of military monitors. So far things run very smoothly. We will able to bring in total twenty monitors by this weekend, including seven so called APCs, armored vehicles with contributions from many OSCE countries. I think they will have calming effect on the ceasefire. And I think this very important element in providing us with objective information. It is very important that with the leadership of Colonel Lieutenant Steven Yang we can get this operation up and running. And that is what we are doing together with the head of the mission Terhi Hakala. So, point number one the operation of military observance is running smoothly.
Point number two. I still think that the ceasefire agreement is fragile, that is why we must focus all of our efforts to the withdrawal of the troops and to return to normalcy. I think the military monitors will play a very important role in this. But remember we must now focus on the withdrawal of troops. We hope that this process takes place smoothly.
Point number three. I think it is time for us in the international community now to start thinking of a true international assessment of this conflict. We need to start reflecting upon how we arrange the future of stabilization of the region, how and what form of peacekeepers, international peacekeepers will be brought in, how do we get the political process going, will we have a high representative for the region, what is the long-term prospective. Because, all of us are involved in these processes from the beginning, we are in this process from the long run. So, that’s why we must start thinking of how all of us, the international community, the USA, the EU, the UN, the OSCE, Russia can solve this conflict and stabilize the region.
So, these are three main points that I wanted to stress. Thank you.
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