Interfax, Russia
Aug 16 2008

U.S. should expand role in settling conflicts on South Caucasus –
American Jewish Committee head

BAKU Aug 16

The latest events in the Georgian-South Ossetian conflict will prompt
the U.S. to be more active in its efforts to have the conflicts in the
South Caucasus settled, American Jewish Committee (AJC) Executive
Director David Harris said.

The crisis in Georgia should also underscore the importance of the
U.S.’ global interests in this region, Harris said at a press
conference in Baku on Saturday.

AJC had forwarded a letter to U.S. President George W. Bush on Friday
to welcome his support for Georgia’s territorial integrity and the
rendering of humanitarian aid to that country, he said.

Although the letter did not say anything about Georgia’s desire to be
part of NATO, AJC supports this intention as well, he said.

The U.S. is currently holding discussions on stepping up the process
of Georgia’s and Ukraine’s integration into NATO, and AJC is
determined to be involved in these discussions, he said.

AJC will also prompt the U.S. government to be more committed to the
OSCE Minsk Group’s activities toward settling the conflict over
Nagorno-Karabakh, Harris said.