US CANCELS JOINT NAVAL EXERCISE WITH RUSSIA

Voice of America
13 August 2008

A senior U.S. defense official says the United States has canceled
a joint naval exercise with Russia, scheduled for this week.

The official, who asked to remain anonymous, said Tuesday that in the
wake of the fighting in Georgia, there is no way the joint exercise
can take place at this time.

The naval exercise was to have started Friday off the Russian Pacific
port of Vladivostok with Britain and France also taking part. There
is no word whether they will still participate.

U.S. officials also say the Group of Eight world largest economies
are considering whether to expel Russia and revert to the G 7.

The officials also say Washington may reconsider inviting Russia to
join the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development.

Meanwhile, the U.S. State Department says another convoy of buses
evacuating Americans from Georgia is scheduled to leave for neighboring
Armenia Wednesday.

The State Department recommends all U.S. citizens leave Georgia and
put off all non-essential travel there.

Some information for this report was provided by AFP, AP and Reuters.