Tuesday, September 2, 2008

Medvedev calls on US to reevaluate its relations with Saakashvili's administration

Медведев призвал США переоценить отношения с режимом Саакашвили

Sochi, 2 Sep -- RIA Novosti

It's time for the US to reevaluate its relations with the current Georgian administration, following aggressions which left more than 1,000 people dead, stated Dmitry Medvedev in an interview with the Italian television company RAI.

Georgia launched an offensive in South Ossetia, after which Russia was forced to enter the conflict zone to reinforce its peacekeepers. On August 12, the end of operation "Enforced Peace" in Georgia was declared.

"I believe that in light of these events, it is time for our American partners to reevaluate their relations with the current administration, especially since it has put Georgia in a difficult situation, destabilized conditions, and unleashed aggressions, as a result of which many people died," said the Russian president.

Political Scientist: Outcome of EU Summit creates possibility for renewed Georgian aggression

Политолог: итоги саммита ЕС создают возможность для повторения грузинской агрессии

The fact that there was no mention of Georgian aggression in a resolution passed by yesterday's emergency EU Summit creates the possibility for a recurrence of what has happened. The opinion was expressed by Gleb Pavlovsky, president of the Effective Policy Fund, at a round table discussion in Moscow on September 2, reports an IA Regnum correspondent.

According to the political scientist, the outcome of the recent EU summit is double-edged. "On the one hand, Europe has managed to avoid absolute American dictatorship. Poland and the Baltic States couldn't impose their own position on the EU and have temporarily receded. On the other hand, nowhere was Georgia's aggression mentioned. All the world can see that this paves the way for a replay of events," notes Pavlovsky.

Pavlovsky believes that Russia should draw all possible conclusions from what has happened, including military conclusions. "Europe's request for Russia to withdraw Russian armies from the security zone on Georgian territory would create a real risk for a recurrence," the expert asserts.

"We have made greater concessions to Europe. In fact, it was only the request of President Sarkozy that prevented the real outcome of operation 'Enforced Peace'--the arrest of Saakashvili as the main perpetrator of the war. This was a serious compromise which we now regret," believes Gleb Pavlovsky.

Sukhumi and Moscow to sign agreement on Russian bases in Abkhazia after two weeks

Сухум и Москва подпишут договор о российских базах в Абхазии через две недели

Sukhumi and Moscow plan to sign an agreement in two weeks on the establishment of a Russian military base on Abkhazian territory. The statement was made by Abkhazian President Sergey Bagapsh at a press conference, reports an IA Regnum correspondent. According to Bagapsh, the Abkhazian Ministry of Foreign Affairs is currently drawing up the documents. The President of Abkhazia assigned responsibility for events in the Caucasus to those Western countries which armed Georgia.

**Update**

According to this RIA Novosti story (in English), Abkhazia does not plan to establish Russian military bases as previously reported.

Russian MFA disturbed by activity of Georgian forces on South Ossetian border

МИД РФ обеспокоен активностью грузинских силовиков на границе с Южной Осетией

The Russian General Staff is describing conditions in the Georgian-Abkhazian conflict zone as relatively calm; however, it is impossible to say the same for the situation in South Ossetia. The statement was made today, September 2, at a Moscow briefing by Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs representative Andrei Nesterenko. He noted that activity had been observed among the Georgian forces and that the command of the Georgian Armed Forces continues to restore the fighting capacity of its divisions.

Based on reports from troops on the ground, Nesterenko spoke of an incident last night that took place not far from a peacekeeping post in the Karaleti region. As Nesterenko explained, Georgian forces carried out provocative actions directed against the Russian peacekeepers. He assumed that the incident was specially organized. The representative believes that such actions do not help to stabilize the situation in the region.

Nesterenko also commented on the escalating situation regarding a fleet of NATO war ships off the coast of Georgia. Three of the vessels are American, and one each belong to Poland, Spain, and Germany. He reminded journalists that, according to an international agreement, only three Black Sea NATO countries--Turkey, Romania, and Bulgaria--have the right to deploy as many ships as they wish to other Black Sea nations, as they are coastal states.