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Last update - 23:09 13/08/2008
Moscow agrees to stick to truce, as Rice threatens Russian isolation
By News Agencies
Tags: South Ossetia, Georgia 

U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, who leaves for Tbilisi later on Wednesday, said that Russia faced deeper isolation if it violated a France-brokered ceasefire with Georgia.

"If indeed Russia is violating a cease-fire, and I have to say the reports are not encouraging about Russia's respect for the ceasefire ... that will only serve to deepen the isolation to which Russia is moving," said Rice, adding that Russia had "seriously overreached" in its response.

Georgia last week sent forces to retake South Ossetia, a pro-Russian province that threw off Georgian rule in the 1990s. Moscow responded by sending troops.
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Russia and Georgia agreed to a cease-fire but reports persisted that Moscow was still conducting military assaults.

"Russia must now end its military operations," she told a news conference.

Rice, who has no plans to visit Moscow on her visit to the region, repeated the U.S. accusation of "disproportionate force" by Russia and said Moscow knew that there would be consequences.

"I really do believe that the Russians understand that pushing the envelope here would have significant consequences for Russia's standing in the international system," she said.

She said it was not 1968 when then-Czechoslovakia was invaded and Russia felt it could threaten its neighbors, occupy a capital, overthrow a government and "get away with it."

"Things have changed," she said.

Saakashvili: West appeasing Russia like it appeased Hitler

Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili has resorted to increasingly fiery language as his conflict with Russia unfolded, comparing Moscow to Nazi Germany and accusing Russian soldiers of looting toilet seats.

Saakashvili, a media darling whose passionate pro-Western speeches have irritated Russia, has looked strained and edgy as since the conflict flared on Aug. 7. His language has likewise become increasingly thunderous.

Speaking on CBS on Wednesday, he said Russian troops were rampaging through his country setting up concentration camps.

"Russian tanks are ... throwing people out of the houses, pushing people into concentration camps.". Russian forces, he said, were moving towards the capital Tbilisi.

"These are regular Russian troops, they go into houses, they destroy houses, there is all this documentary footage around that can prove it ... They are taking things like furniture, toilet seats, killing people, terrorizing people."

He has attacked the West for being soft on Russia, drawing parallels with Europe's appeasement policy towards Nazi Germany.

"It [Western reaction] has not been adequate. They're talking about a negotiated ceasefire, how this side should do this, this side should do that - it's appeasement," he told a conference call. "Appeasement in 1938 brought tens of millions of deaths to Europe."

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Washington had to choose between partnership with Moscow and the Georgian leadership which he described as a "virtual project".

"We understand that this current Georgian leadership is a special project of the United States, but one day the United States will have to choose between defending its prestige over a virtual project or real partnership which requires joint action," Lavrov told reporters.

France: Russia promises to stick to truce

Meanwhile, French President Nicolas Sarkozy received assurances from his Russian counterpart Dmitry Medvedev late Wednesday that Moscow would respect its commitment to an end of hostilities in Georgia.

France brokered a deal to bring calm to the former Soviet republic after
Russian military forces moved in following a bid by Georgia to secure control over South Ossetia. The breakaway region is loyal to Moscow.

On-the-ground reports and claims by Georgia suggest that a just-brokered
cease-fire was not being honored. But Sarkozy's office said the French leader spoke at length with Medvedev and received assurances that Russian
would respect the commitments made.

Russia has already said it was halting military action.

Russia denies Georgian claim its troops entered Gori

In a highly charged atmosphere of claim and counter-claim, Saakashvili said earlier Wednesday that Russian tanks had stormed the Georgian town of Gori and were advancing on the capital, though a deputy minister later backtracked on this.

Moscow said the claims were not true. "No Russian troops or armor are moving towards Tbilisi," Colonel-General Anatoly Nogovitsyn, deputy head of the General Staff, told Reuters.

Witnesses said Russian troops had set up at least two checkpoints several kilometers from Gori and the Russian side later said it had secured an abandoned Georgian ammunition depot outside the town, famous as the birthplace of Josef Stalin.

Georgian officials said Gori was looted and bombed by the Russians. An AP reporter later saw dozens of tanks and military vehicles leaving Gori, roaring south.

To the west, Abkhazian separatist forces backed by Russian military might pushed out Georgian troops and even moved into Georgian territory itself, defiantly planting a flag and laughing that retreating Georgians had received American training in running away.

Battles ensue despite EU-brokered truce

The developments came less than 12 hours after Georgia's president said he accepted in principle a cease-fire plan brokered by France. Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said Tuesday that Russia was halting military action because Georgia had paid enough for its attack last Thursday on South Ossetia.

The EU peace plan's concept of having both sides retreat to their original positions was running into the stark reality of Russian dominance on the battlefield.

More

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      1.   The instigator playing the victim 10:24  |  maoriboy 13/08/08
      2.   Putin, Medveder, Attila? 14:41  |  charlot 13/08/08
      3.   All States Outraged -- Except Israel which Bends Over for Putin 15:03  |  Ovadiah ben Avraham 13/08/08
      4.   Russia just stick with battering chechens 15:16  |  liam 13/08/08
      5.   Sakashvili to be blamed! 15:27  |  Persian Hero 13/08/08
      6.   To Persian Hero and alikes 15:55  |  Vital 13/08/08
      7.   Russian military heads deeper into... 16:18  |  David Nigel Braham 13/08/08
      8.   one big party 16:53  |  frenz 13/08/08
      9.   Russia Is On The Move 17:03  |  Yosemite 13/08/08
      10.   #6 Vital 17:03  |  Persian Hero 13/08/08
      11.   #8 Frenz 17:26  |  Persian Hero 13/08/08
      12.   Russia resurgance 17:32  |  Dani 13/08/08
      13.   shaakavili is the one responsible for the mess 18:27  |  paulo2005 13/08/08
      14.   Yosemite....with Iran mines now in the Straits 18:57  |  Lynn 13/08/08
      15.   Putin`s aggression on Georgia 19:04  |  Brod 13/08/08
      16.   Persian Hero......Russia will find out the same as Iran 19:09  |  Lynn 13/08/08
      17.   Send the 6th Fleet 19:13  |  Peter 13/08/08
      18.   #14 Lynn. 19:24  |  Persian Hero 13/08/08
      19.   #14 Lynn. 19:24  |  Persian Hero 13/08/08
      20.   Dani,#12, Azerbaijan is the real target 19:45  |  Voice of Reason 13/08/08
      21.   #14, Lynn 19:54  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 13/08/08
      22.   Cold autumn 19:56  |  Michael 13/08/08
      23.   Russian Bear Mauls NATO Aspirant 19:59  |  Jeff Northridge 13/08/08
      24.   I want justice for South Ossetia, but not from Putin 20:00  |  Pssd Off American 13/08/08
      25.   Peter # 17 The 6th Fleet 20:11  |  Jeff Northridge 13/08/08
      26.   ISRAEL ALWAYS READY TO HELP HUMANITARIAN 20:13  |  BRAVO 13/08/08
      27.   Two respiirators ans 7 ECG monitors are enough? 20:21  |  Vital 13/08/08
      28.   Georgian agression in Iraq 20:25  |  Donal 13/08/08
      29.   Without Russian support the US is undermined 21:08  |  Diplomat 13/08/08
      30.   War with Russia = Nuclear War 21:10  |  Nowhere is safe 13/08/08
      31.   # 21 Cipora JK.....yes, indeed they are 21:18  |  Lynn 13/08/08
      32.   israel on russia black list 21:25  |  imad 13/08/08
      33.   Saakashvili is right 21:31  |  KUTW 13/08/08
      34.   Jeff Northridge: Russian Bear Mauls NATO Aspirant 21:39  |  KUTW 13/08/08
      35.   23. Jeff Northridge: more 21:41  |  KUTW 13/08/08
      36.   Persian Hero 21:42  |  Greg 13/08/08
      37.   Russia Can Deliver Humanitarian Aid , No Need U.S. 21:42  |  Joseph.E 13/08/08
      38.   Everyone uses hitler`s name when they have nothing to say 21:46  |  Keepin it REAL 13/08/08
      39.   24. Pssd Off American: Russia had no right to intervene in Geor 21:49  |  KUTW 13/08/08
      40.   imad from Lebanon.....no, they are not 22:03  |  Lynn 13/08/08
      41.   #26 Bravo 22:05  |  mike 13/08/08
      42.   #23 Jeff Northridge......US could stop supplying wheat 22:07  |  Lynn 13/08/08
      43.   Blame the myopic idiot US strategy for this mess 22:09  |  Darth Zaider (Ed) 13/08/08
      44.   # 27 Vital 22:12  |  Joseph.E 13/08/08
      45.   #25 Jeff Northridge....might keep the Ukranians 22:12  |  Lynn 13/08/08
      46.   various 22:27  |  bernard 13/08/08
      47.   37.Joseph.E : Russia interests are others 22:36  |  KUTW 13/08/08
      48.   #43 Darth....recognizing Kosovo independence 22:43  |  Lynn 13/08/08
      49.   Is Georgia a member of the EU? 22:56  |  max 13/08/08
      50.   Europeans bootlickers of Kremlin Tzar 22:57  |  Jonathan S 13/08/08
      51.   # 39 kutw 23:16  |  Axel 13/08/08
      52.   To Lynn and Cipora J. Kohn on the word "collaboration" 23:22  |  Mark B. 13/08/08
      53.   #42 Lynn 23:32  |  Mark B. 13/08/08
      54.   # 47 KUTW 23:38  |  Joseph.E 13/08/08
      55.   KUTW - WRONG on all counts 23:48  |  American 13/08/08
      56.   Scouting expedition 23:50  |  Michael 13/08/08
      57.   George Bush stationed the US in Georgia 2004. 00:03  |  Maureen Ann 14/08/08
      58.   Russia 00:08  |  john 14/08/08
      59.   the US is no longer capable of threatening anyone .. 00:11  |  redmike 14/08/08
      60.   Russia has been providing nuclear arms to Iran 00:16  |  Ralph 14/08/08
      61.   annoying video 00:20  |  daniel 14/08/08
      62.   Russia Should Not Have Agreed To Truce 01:35  |  Joseph.E 14/08/08
      63.   mike # 41 01:45  |  ChanahS 14/08/08
      64.   AT THE END OF THE DAY 02:02  |  indrajaya 14/08/08
      65.   #42 Lynn 02:10  |  mike 14/08/08
      66.   45 Lynn - Controlling the Expansion 03:02  |  Mark of Lewiston 14/08/08
      67.   Lynn # 45 I Don`t Think The Ukrainians Can Do That 03:33  |  Jeff Northridge 14/08/08
      68.   Lynn, Jeff Northridge 07:51  |  Mark of Lewiston 14/08/08
      69.   51Axel 09:59  |  KUTW 15/08/08
      70.   55. American 10:02  |  KUTW 15/08/08
      71.   55. American : Russia imperialism 10:16  |  KUTW 15/08/08
      72.   Georgians Commited Genocide of Ossetian people. 13:08  |  Daniel 14/09/08
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