Friday, August 15

Georgia Offer Armistice

Georgia Offer Armistice
Tskhinvali - Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili, it seems, could not ignore the conflict with Russia that erupted since Thursday (7 / 7). After stating withdraw troops from South Ossetia, Saakashvili signed a cease-fire proposal and peace talks Sunday night (10 / 8) local time Monday (11 / 8) pm. According to the plan, the Minister of Foreign Affairs (Foreign Minister) France Bernard Kouchner will be to Moscow to persuade Russia signed the same proposal.

Kouchner, who heads the international mediation team, advance to Tbilisi, the capital of Georgia, on Sunday night. This is the first high-level diplomatic mission to fly to the region to try to ease tensions.

After meeting President Saakashvili, Kouchner said that his priority was the withdrawal of troops. ''Back to the negotiating table, peace talks, and political solutions. That's it. Easy to say, yes, but hardly realized, "said Kouchner told reporters in Tbilisi.

According to Alexander Lomaia, secretary of Georgia's security council, President Saakashvili, French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner and Finnish Foreign Minister Alexander Stubb has signed a peace proposal. "Kouchner convey the EU plan to Saakashvili. In essence, calling for a ceasefire, medical access to victims, the withdrawal of troops on both sides, and political talks," he said. Kouchner and Stubb will go to Moscow on Tuesday (12 / 8) to talk with Russian President Dmitry Medvedev.

As reported, the conflict between Russia and Georgia erupted last Thursday when Georgia sent troops into South Ossetia, a small province which threw off Georgian rule in the 1990s. Russian peacekeepers have a post in the province of Georgia was directly responding to the action by sending troops and armored vehicles through the Caucasus Mountains to South Ossetia. Their target hit back Georgian troops.

The conflict came to the attention of Western. Understandably, in the eyes of the West, Georgia is an ally beneficial. Location of these small countries considered strategic because they are on transit routes from the Caspian oil to Europe.

In France, President Nicolas Sarkozy, who now turn to assume the presidency of the European Union states will travel to Moscow next few days. Sarkozy's office also said that France has prepared a peace plan with a focus on the two countries withdraw troops from areas of conflict.

In New York, the UN Security Council held four meetings in the last four days to discuss the Georgia-Russian crisis. On the occasion, U.S. Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad accused Russia tried to change the regime in Georgia. Russian Ambassador Vitaly Churkin, on the contrary, it mentions some Georgian leader is the bottleneck for their people.

The U.S. also warned that the escalation of the conflict by Russia would lead to long-term impact on relations between the two countries. U.S. calls on Russia and Georgia was a truce and return to positions before the conflict broke out. Responding, the Russians insisted that Georgia must withdraw troops from South Ossetia and formally declared the territory will not attack.

Meanwhile, the war continues. A reporter in the town of Gori, in the southern region of South Ossetia, reported on the bombing at around Tskhinvali on Sunday night (last Tuesday). Not explained, which side do the bombing. Russian aircraft also reported back to attack Tbilisi military airport and a nearby airfield.

However, the news was immediately disputed the Russian defense minister. ''It's only the Georgian provocation. That information is not true that Georgia intentionally thrown to mislead the international community, "said Russian Defense Ministry.

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