EU: Most Russian cease-fire allegations overblown

PAUL AMES ASSOCIATED PRESS

Most Russian claims that Georgia is violating a cease-fire agreement in the breakaway region of South Ossetia appear to be inflated, the head of the European monitoring mission there said Friday.
Russia should provide more details if it has evidence that Georgia is breaching the deal, Hansjoerg Haber said.
A war erupted in August when Georgia launched an attack to regain control over the breakaway region of South Ossetia. Russian forces swiftly repelled the attack and drove deep into Georgia.
Russia withdrew its forces from parts of Georgia according to the terms of an EU-brokered cease-fire, and the EU sent more than a 200-member mission to monitor the situation.
But Moscow has complained that Georgian troops have failed to withdraw from areas near South Ossetia and Abkhazia, another separatist province, and have instigated shootings against Russian forces.
"In general, the observation is that such reports are overblown," Haber told reporters. "There may have been isolated shootings, but no major incidents have been registered."
If Russia and its allies in South Ossetia have evidence of Georgian wrongdoing, they should end their refusal to allow the EU monitors into the breakaway region so they can investigate, Haber said.
"We are pleased to come over to their side of the administrative boundary and inspect what has happened there," Haber said. "We invite them to invite us."
On Thursday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov accused the 225 EU monitors of turning a blind eye to Georgian troops' failure to withdraw from areas near South Ossetia and Abkhazia.
"We don't get any details from the Russians, we just get general allegations," Haber said.
Asked specifically about allegations that Georgian special forces were in areas near South Ossetia, Haber said that some lightly armed units were there, but said their presence was "commensurate and adequate" for policing the region.
Georgia, meanwhile, accused Russian forces of destroying a bridge leading into Abkhazia in order to isolate ethnic Georgians living there. Russian troops demolished the bridge between Gali, in Abkhazia, and Zugdidi, in Georgia proper, Georgian Interior Ministry spokesman Shota Utiashvili said.
The bridge was one of the last remaining border crossings into Abkhazia, Utiashvili said. Most of Gali's citizens are ethnic Georgians.
Russia's Defense Ministry was not immediately available for comment Friday. But the defense minister for Abkhazia's de-facto government blamed the bombing on Georgia.
Russia, meanwhile, appointed ambassadors to South Ossetia and Abkhazia. Russia recognized South Ossetia and Abkhazia as independent nations after the war and plans to keep 3,800 troops in each region a much bigger presence than before the war.
Georgia straddles a key westward route for oil and gas from the Caspian Sea region, and has become a focus of competition between Russia and the West for regional clout.
Associated Press writer Matt Siegel contributed to this report from Tbilisi, Georgia
source: http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2008/oct/24/eu-most-russian-cease-fire-allegations-overblown/

Russia only partly fulfils Georgia ceasefire: France (10 Oct.'08)

By Margarita Antidze

GORI, Georgia (Reuters) - Russia has not fully complied with the terms of a ceasefire in Georgia, France's foreign minister said on Friday, casting fresh doubt on whether frozen EU-Russia partnership talks will resume soon.

Russian soldiers and tanks pushed into Georgia's breakaway regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia, and adjacent "buffer zones," as part of a massive counter-strike in August to crush an attempt by Georgian forces to retake South Ossetia.

Moscow pulled out of the buffer zones this week, before an October 10 deadline set out in the French-brokered ceasefire. But Georgia says the Kremlin has not fully complied because Russian soldiers remain inside the two separatist regions.

Asked in the Georgian town of Gori, near South Ossetia, if Russia had honored the ceasefire deal, French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner told reporters: "I think so, but partly."

"This is not complete. This is not perfect. It's just the beginning. This is not the end," Kouchner, whose country holds the European Union's rotating presidency, said in a tent camp for Georgians displaced by the fighting.

After a tour of the buffer zone vacated this week by Russian forces -- where human rights groups say hundreds of ethnic Georgian homes were wrecked after the ceasefire came into force -- Kouchner took a swipe at the Russian military.

"It's always very sad to see houses destroyed and people coming back and discovering their belongings in desperate state," said Kouchner, speaking in English. "It was not a good march of the Russian army. Not at all.

EU DIFFERENCES

In a statement released in Brussels, EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana confirmed Russian forces had withdrawn from areas outside Abkhazia and South Ossetia.

"This withdrawal will, we hope, allow internally displaced people to return to their homes and contribute to the normalization of living conditions," he said.

EU foreign ministers could decide next week whether to restart talks on a strategic partnership treaty with Russia that the 27-member bloc has put on hold until it is satisfied Russia has complied with the ceasefire deal.

Kouchner said he did not know if this would happen and pointed to differences among EU members. "Some are not in agreement. There are people supporting Russia, and there are people fighting against Russia," he said.

Kouchner and EU observers will present the findings of his trip at a meeting of foreign ministers on Monday which will prepare a possible decision two days later by European leaders to restart the talks.

Moscow says it is now in full compliance with the ceasefire and that it will keep a total of 7,600 troops in Abkhazia and South Ossetia, which it has recognized as independent states, to protect them from further Georgia aggression.

The Kremlin said it was morally obliged to enter Georgia to prevent what it called a genocide by Georgian forces.

Western states said its response was disproportionate, but analysts say the European Union's reaction has been tempered because Russia supplies a quarter of Europe's gas and is a major trade and investment partner.

"It seems that the Russians are keeping their word," an official with the EU's French presidency said early on Friday.

But diplomats in Brussels said others, including Britain, Poland and the Baltic nations, argue the EU should wait.

"Giving the green light is a very important moment in terms of the signal to Russia about how we feel about how things have ended up," said one EU diplomat.

Source: http://www.reuters.com/article/GCA-Russia/idUSTRE4973IZ20081010

‘Russia Occupies Significant Part of Georgia’ – Saakashvili

21:30


Saakashvili said in a televised address:

• The army should struggle to the end;
• We will never surrender;
• Georgian forces are re-grouping;

Russia took over control of the major highway passing through Gori and “separated the country’s western part from the east,” President Saakashvili said at a session of National Security Council at 8:45pm on August 11.

It was earlier reported that the Russian forces were in control of Gori. The Russian Defense Ministry, however, has denied that its forces were in Gori, Interfax news agency report at 9:15pm.

Russian forces also advanced deep into the Georgian territory from breakaway Abkhazia as well, taking control of Senaki and are now moving further into east. “Situation is extremely grave,” Saakashvili said. “This is occupation attempt, attempt to totally occupy Georgia, attempt to destroy Georgia.”

“Russia’s goal is to put an end to existence of the Georgian state,” he added.

“We are receiving only moral and humanitarian help from the international community, but we need more than that. We want them to stop these barbaric aggressors.”

“Our armed forces will carry out regrouping and we will protect and continue fighting for our future… We will never surrender, we will never say no to freedom and our future; we will never kneel down.”

“Russia’s goal is to trigger panic and chaos and civil confrontation in Georgia... Do not let the enemy’s major goal be achieved. We should not allow chaos, political confrontation.”

He also called on the population to gather outside the Parliament at 3pm on August 12 “to show the enemy that we are united and strong.”

Hot News: Zugdidi, Gori, Kodori Attacks

Russian Military Units Intend to Attack Zugdidi in Next Hours

Russian military units intend to commit attracts in direction of Zugdidi in next hours.
The chairman of Parliament of Georgia stated the following.
‘Unfortunately, we face the attempt of a large-scale occupation of Georgia. It is the attempt to repeat the year of 1921.We would not let it happen. We will unite and repel the attacks of Russia.’ – Declared Bakradze.
The chairman said that the situation is stable in the country, and added that the President of Georgia personally is in head of the defense of then country.

Emergent: Russian Aviation Renewed Bombard in Gori

Russian aviation renewed bombard in Gori a few minutes ago. Tele – company Reuter broadcasted live pictures of bombing.
Russian aviation bombed Gori for many timed during the last two days. There are casualties , including civilians.




Russians and Abkhazians is Storming Upper Abkhazia


Abkhazian and Russian forces have begun storming upper section of Kodori Gorge.
As InterpressNews was reported by the government of autonomous republic of Abkhazia, land military operations have begun in Upper Abkhazia a few minutes ago.
Intensive air attacks have been committed permanent during the last hours.

(interpressnews.ge)