NOBODY UNDERSTANDS US, SAY RUSSIANS
By David Matsaberidze
The Messenger
Sept 4 2008
Georgia
The world remains divided over the developments in Georgia, recreating
the situation of the Cold War era. Now however, although Russia has
inherited the USSR’s old position, the opposite pole of the conflict
is occupied by a moderate Europe and a more radical U.S.
Russia blames the EU for ‘imperfect understanding’ of the Russian
motivation for its military involvement in Georgia, and calls President
Saakashvili a political corpse. The US declares that it waits for the
withdrawal of the Russian military forces as "time still remains till
the deadline."
"Saakashvili no longer exists as a President", the President of the
Russian Federation Dmitry Medvedev has stated, adding that the world
is changing and the acknowledgment of the independence of two breakaway
regions of Georgia should be seen in this context. "The right viewpoint
won in Europe, by not imposing sanctions on the Russian Federation,"
Medvedev stressed. He likewise expressed readiness to discuss "various
issues, including post-conflict resolution in the region" with the
international community and blamed US policy towards Georgia for
leading Saakashvili to use violence. "The US created in the Georgian
leader the sense that he could act with impunity", Medvedev stressed,
adding that the US should understand that "its virtual project under
the name "Free Georgia" has failed."
Russian Prime Minister, Vladimir Putin, said that he was surprised that
humanitarian aid was delivered to the "aggressors" and not to the real
victims of the conflict. "If we are talking about humanitarian aid,
it should be provided to the victim of the aggression, which is South
Ossetia," Putin stressed in the Uzbek capital, Tashkent, on September
2. "We do not understand what the U.S. ships are doing on the Georgian
shore; but it’s a matter of taste and that’s our American colleagues’
decision," he added. But while stressing that Russia’s reaction to
the presence of NATO vessels in the Black Sea would be "calm, without
any hysteria," Putin brushed off western calls for the withdrawal
of Russian troops from Georgia, concluding: "We have no armed forces
in Georgia at all, there are only peacekeepers, 500 of them … and
their only job is to maintain security."
The Deputy Chief of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces,
Anatoli Nogovitsyn, confirmed that regular troops had left not only
Georgia proper but also Abkhazia and South Ossetia. According to him
"only Russian peacekeepers remain in Georgia in order to provide
security for the population and to monitor the implementation of the
existing agreement". Georgia’s National Security Council Secretary,
Alexandre Lomaia, in response to these remarks, stressed that
"the Russian President has lost control, because his efforts to
depose the Georgian government have failed. The Georgian President
is a democratically elected leader, he and his government enjoy the
support of the Georgian people and the international community."
The Press Spokesperson of the White House, Dana Perino, welcomed the
EU’s decision of Monday, particularly stressing the importance of
"the acknowledgment of the territorial integrity, sovereignty and
independence of Georgia." She said that the US is deeply concerned
about the stability and security of the region. Sean McCormack, a
representative of the US Secretary of State, stressed that Russia
is aware of its duties and responsibilities. McCormack termed the
EU decision a "strong resolution" and confirmed the unity of the EU
and US regarding Georgian affairs. The fact that the statement set
forth both an independent and a joint action plan which formulated
necessary measures against the Russian Federation was declared to be
a positive result of the EU Summit.
The OSCE condemns Russian actions and recognizes Georgia’s territorial
integrity, the Chairman of the Georgian Parliamentary Committee of
Foreign Affairs, Lasha Zhvania, stated after a meeting with Goran
Lennmarker, the Special Representative of the President of OSCE
Parliamentary Assembly. Zhvania says that the situation in Georgia
isn’t only Georgia’s problem as there are "serious messages regarding
the issues of Karabakh and Transdnestria after the recognition of
independence of Abkhazia and South Ossetia." This statement has a
serious basis – the leader of the Nagorno Kharabakh separatists, Bako
Saakian, stressed at the recent 17th anniversary celebration of the
‘independence’ of Nagorno Kharabakh that "the ongoing processes make
us hope that the day of independence of the Nagorno Karabakh is not
too far away."
The Financial Times has highlighted the aggressive actions of the
Russian soldiers in Georgia but quotes high ranking Russian army
officials as condemning the action. Russian generals are not satisfied
with the "unfinished" operation, in which Tbilisi was left alone. As
Duma member and influential political analyst Sergei Markov stated,
"The Kremlin lost control over the army in Georgia", while former
General Leonid Ivashov, Head of the Moscow Academy for Geopolitical
Affairs, stressed that "the aggression had to be taken to the end
– capitulation, resulting in the full disarmament of the Georgian
military forces."
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
