Русская версияPleading for a hands-on approach from NATO and the European Union,
Salome Samadashvili, Georgia's ambassador to the EU, told
journalists in Brussels on Monday, Aug.
11, that the organizations
"need to show that there will be a political cost for this action
in terms of the relationship of the Russian Federation with its
Western partners," DPA news agency reported.
"Either we find a way to respond to (Russia's military action)
together or we have to live with the decision that we will face a
different world tomorrow," she added.
Georgian forces retreated on Monday to Tbilisi from other parts of
the country in order to defend the capital.
"The invading army of the Russian Federation has entered Georgian
territory outside the conflict zones of Abkhazia and South
Ossetia," the Georgian government said in a statement. "The
Georgian army is retreating to defend the capital. The government
is urgently seeking international intervention to prevent the fall
of Georgia and the further loss of life."
Russia's Defense Ministry on Monday said Russia had no plans for
its forces to advance on Georgia's capital, Tbilisi, Interfax news
agency reported.
"We do not have and have never had any plans to advance on
Tbilisi," the news agency quoted an unnamed defence ministry
official as saying. "Clearly the Georgian leadership is gripped by
panic."
The United Nations Security Council said it would meet Monday to
discuss the fighting between Russia and Georgia. The Council is
working to agree on a joint statement for a resolution. It's the
fifth round of emergency talks since the fighting started.
In light of the need for action, both the 26-member North Atlantic
Treaty Organization and the 27-member EU are now under intense
pressure to come up with a reaction that goes beyond diplomatic
rhetoric, which has thus far been unable to quell the recent
outbreak of hostilities in Georgia.
West unable to force Russia's hand
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Saakashvili said Moscow is attempting to take over Georgia
European diplomats met Georgia's President Mikhail Saakashvili in
Tbilisi on Monday and convinced him to sign a draft cease-fire
agreement.
Russia, however, immediately pushed aside the notion of such a
cease-fire agreement before even receiving it, insisting that the
Georgian military was ignoring its own self-declared cease-fire and
had attacked the South Ossetian capital Tskhinvali.
Saakashvili called on the West to provide more than words of
support and emergency aid to Georgia.
"So far we have got from them moral support and humanitarian aid,
but we need more than that to stop this barbaric aggression," he
said in a televised address Monday. "The majority of Georgia's
territory is occupied."
On Wednesday, the conflict will come under the scrutiny of EU
foreign ministers, who will be briefed by their colleague Bernard
Kouchner, who has been visiting the region on behalf of the French
presidency of the EU.
About 25,000 refugees from South Ossetia's population of 70,000
have fled north and are living in camps and hostels in Valdikavkaz.
Some 2,000 refugees, among them foreigners, fled Georgia into
Armenia, the Interfax news agency reported.
EU officials will also discuss a call from Ukraine, Poland and
Lithuania for the EU to dispatch peacekeepers to Georgia.
Germany-Russia economic ties potential barrier
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Economic ties between Russia and Germany could be a sticking point
in negotiations
However -- just as at NATO, which has scheduled talks with
Russia for Tuesday -- those discussions are likely to be
complicated by Germany's reluctance to endanger its strong
commercial ties with Russia.
Germany is already Russia's number one trading partner, with an
annual turnover of $53 billion (34 billion euros). Germany also
depends on Russia for oil and gas, and the countries are building a
joint pipeline for future deliveries under the Baltic Sea.
Around 4,500 German companies have set up shop in Russia and
constitute a key part of the economic relationship between the two
nations.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel had planned to travel to the
Russian Black Sea resort of Sochi on Friday for talks with Russian
President Dmitry Medvedev. Those talks had been scheduled before
the current round of fighting erupted.
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(Deutsche Welle)
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