15 August 2008
Rice Says Georgian-Russian Cease-Fire Agreement Reached
Bush says Russia must stop “bullying and intimidation”
Washington -- Russian combat troops must leave Georgia immediately as a six-point cease-fire plan takes effect, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice says.
Under the terms of an agreement brokered by French President Nicolas Sarkozy, Georgia’s signing of the agreement obligates Russia to begin withdrawing combat troops, though Russian peacekeeping forces may remain in Georgia’s breakaway regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia until international monitors arrive, Rice said at an August 15 press conference in Tbilisi with Georgia President Mikheil Saakashvili.
The withdrawal of Russian forces "must take place and must take place now," Rice said. She and Saakashvili met for five hours before announcing agreement on the cease-fire plan at a late afternoon press conference in Tbilisi.
The plan Rice presented to Saakashvili was agreed to in principle by Russia and by the self-appointed presidents of Abkhazia and South Ossetia, who were in Moscow meeting with Russian officials.
"This is not an agreement about the future of Abkhazia and the future of South Ossetia. This is about getting Russian troops out" of Georgian territory and ending hostilities, Rice said.
Russia should understand, Rice said, that the final resolution on the status of South Ossetia and Abkhazia, which have close ethnic ties to Russia, will be decided by the international community through the U.N. Security Council.
"When the security situation in Georgia is stabilized," Rice said, "we will turn immediately to reconstruction efforts."
Hours earlier in Washington, President Bush said Russia's intimidation of Georgia is not an acceptable way of conducting international relations, reminding the Russian government that the Cold War, waged for a half century, is over.
"Georgia's sovereignty and territorial integrity must be respected," Bush said. "Bullying and intimidation are not acceptable ways to conduct foreign policy in the 21st century. Only Russia can decide whether it will now put itself back on the path of responsible nations, or continue to pursue a policy that promises only confrontation and isolation."
Bush said the United States was "working closely with our partners in Europe and other members of the [Group of Seven] to bring a resolution to this crisis."
"Some Americans listening today may wonder why events taking place in a small country halfway around the world matter to the United States," Bush said. "In the years since it gained independence after the Soviet Union's collapse, Georgia has become a courageous democracy. Its people are making the tough choices that are required of free societies.
"Since the Rose Revolution in 2003, the Georgian people have held free elections, opened up their economy, and built the foundations of a successful democracy. The people of Georgia have cast their lot with the free world, and we will not cast them aside."
"Moscow must honor its commitment to withdraw its invading forces from all Georgian territory," Bush said.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel was in Sochi, a resort town on the Black Sea, to meet with Russian President Dmitry Medvedev to help ease the crisis that began August 7 when Russian troops and Georgian troops clashed in South Ossetia.
Rice travels August 16 to Crawford, Texas, to confer with Bush on events in Europe.
