PEACE & SECURITY | Creating a more stable world
02 September 2008
United States Praises European Union Efforts on Georgian Crisis
EU is sending a delegation to Moscow
Washington -- The White House welcomed the support of the 27-nation European Union in trying to convince Russia to withdraw its combat forces that occupy sections of Georgia in violation of a cease-fire agreement.
"We agree with the EU that the six-point cease-fire agreement must be fully implemented, and echo the EU's call for military forces to withdraw to the lines held prior to the outbreak of hostilities," White House press secretary Dana Perino said in a statement September 1.
The White House also encouraged the EU to dispatch civilian monitors to Georgia as quickly as possible to give Russia no excuse for keeping its combat forces in Georgia.
Hostilities between Russia and Georgia erupted August 7 after Georgian military forces attempted to take control of the breakaway province of South Ossetia. When the fighting ended, Russian combat forces were firmly in control of South Ossetia and the other breakaway province, Abkhazia, and they had established security zones in Georgian territory in violation of a cease-fire agreement.
Diplomatic efforts to encourage Russian forces to withdraw to positions held before August 7, which is part of the cease-fire agreement, have not been honored.
The EU met in a four-hour emergency session September 1 in Brussels, Belgium, and agreed to send a special delegation to Moscow next week to insist that Russia abide by a cease-fire agreement brokered by French President Nicolas Sarkozy on behalf of the EU. France currently holds the rotating EU presidency.
The EU also agreed that if Russia fails to comply with an agreement it signed, a second round of negotiations with Russia on a strategic political and economic partnership agreement that is scheduled for mid-September would be postponed.
"We must say that Russian behavior over the last few weeks, its disproportionate response and its recognition of the two entities that declared independence has caused considerable concern in Europe and beyond," Sarkozy said at a press conference after the emergency meeting.
Perino said the extraordinary EU meeting demonstrates that Europe and the United States are united in supporting Georgia's territorial integrity.
"We applaud the EU's commitment to send an EU mission to Georgia, and encourage EU member states to deploy monitors as quickly as possible; we welcome the appointment of an EU special representative for the crisis and look forward to working closely with this envoy," Perino said.
President Bush is sending Vice President Cheney to the region this week to meet with the leaders of Georgia, Ukraine and Azerbaijan.
Both the EU and the United States have condemned Russia for recognizing the Georgian provinces of South Ossetia and Abkhazia as independent states, which they see as having a destabilizing effect on the South Caucasus region. Georgia is a former Soviet republic that won independence in 1991 with the breakup of the Soviet Union.
The United States also pledged to participate in the reconstruction of Georgia and to participate in the international conference on Georgia's reconstruction. Since hostilities ended the United States has been rushing humanitarian aid to the country on U.S. Navy ships and U.S. military cargo flights.
The United States said Russia's hostile actions in Georgia have strained relations severely. "We also agree with the EU's conclusion that Russia has a choice to make in order not to isolate itself from Europe," Perino said.
The full text of the White House press secretary's statement is available on America.gov.
