GEORGIA CONFLICT 2008
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AUGUST 25, 2008
 
The Russian state Duma, or parliment, voted unanimously on August 25th to appeal to the Russian President to recognize the independence of both Georgian break-away provinces of South Ossetia and Abkhazia. The vote is non-binding and requires offical action by the President of Russia. Dmitri Medvedev, for any recognition to be official. Western nations, including the United States, France, Great Britian, Poland, the Ukraine, The Czech Republic, and many others urged the Russian President not to take such a step as it would grossly violate the soveriegnty and integrity of Georgia, where the UN has passed resolutions affirming that these provinces belong to Georgia, resolutions that Russia itself voted for.
But many observers and analysts believe that the precedent established in the 1990s by US President Bill Clinton, when the break-away province of Kosovo was supported by the US in establishing first autonomy, and then independence from Serbia, a Russian ally at the time, is being used by Russia to effect these changes in response. President George Bush himself recognized the independence of Kosovo in February of this year over the objections of Russia.
Such geo-politcal manueverings are certainly no help to the dead, injured, and displaced civilains in Georgia and its provinces, where it is clear that since the Russian occupation of the provinces, particularly South Ossetia, significant ethnic cleansing of those provinces has been occurring, including entire villages of Georgians being looted, burned out, and the inhabitants being told to either leave, or if already gone, to not come back.
Elsewhere, the USS McFaul completed offloading humanitarian supplies in Batumi for the Georgian people as the US Coast Guared Cutter, Dallas, approached Batumi to do the same with the humanitarian supplies she is carrying.
AUGUST 26, 2008
Russian President Dmitri Medvedev, in direct contravention of the six-point cease fire that Medvedev agreed to and signed last week, point six of which was to enter into international dialogue on the issue of the two Georgian separatist provinces, officially recognized the independence of those provinces today in answer to the appeal unanimously voted on by the Russian Duma the prior day. In so doing, the Russian President not only abjectly violated the cease-fire agreement, he also laid down a direct challenge and gauntlet to the western democracies in general, and the United States specifically. In announcing his decision, the Russian President said,
RUSSIAN PRESIDENT MEDVEDEV ANNOUNCEMENT::
Tbilisi made its choice during the night of August 8, 2008. By doing all the hopes for the peaceful coexistence of Ossetians, Abkhazians and Georgians in a single state were dashed. The peoples of South Ossetia and Abkhazia have several times spoken out at referendums in favor of independence for their republics. It is our understanding that after what has happened in Tskhinval and what has been planned for Abkhazia they have the right to decide their destiny by themselves.
The Presidents of South Ossetia and Abkhazia, based on the results of the referendums conducted and on the decisions taken by the Parliaments of the two republics, appealed to Russia to recognize the state sovereignty of South Ossetia and Abkhazia. The Federation Council and the State Duma voted in support of those appeals.
A decision needs to be taken based on the situation on the ground. Considering the freely expressed will of the Ossetian and Abkhaz peoples and being guided by the provisions of the UN Charter, the 1970 Declaration on the Principles of International Law Governing Friendly Relations Between States, the CSCE Helsinki Final Act of 1975 and other fundamental international instruments, I signed Decrees on the recognition by the Russian Federation of South Ossetia's and Abkhazia's independence.
Russia calls on other states to follow its example. This is not an easy choice to make, but it represents the only possibility to save human lives.
Reaction from the United States was immediate, not only from President George Bush, but also from both candidates for President, Senator John McCain and senatopr Barack Obama.
US PRESIDENT GEORGE BUSH STATEMENT
The United States condemns the decision by the Russian President to recognize as independent states the Georgian regions of South Ossetia and Abkhazia. This decision is inconsistent with numerous United Nations Security Council Resolutions that Russia has voted for in the past, and is also inconsistent with the French-brokered six-point ceasefire agreement which President Medvedev signed on August 12, 2008.* The six-point agreement offered a peaceful way forward to resolve the conflict. We expect Russia to live up to its international commitments, reconsider this irresponsible decision, and follow the approach set out in the six-point agreement.
The territorial integrity and borders of Georgia must be respected, just as those of Russia or any other country. Russia's action only exacerbates tensions and complicates diplomatic negotiations. In accordance with United Nations Security Council Resolutions that remain in force, Abkhazia and South Ossetia are within the internationally recognized borders of Georgia, and they must remain so.
JOHN MCCAIN STATEMENT
Russia today took a significant and negative step in recognizing the independence of Abkhazia and South Ossetia, two separatist Georgian provinces. In April, I warned that Russia was pursuing a policy of de facto annexation that threatened to undermine security and stability in the region. Today's decision, the culmination of a long effort aimed at splitting these two regions away from Georgia, represents a major step forward in that process. Moscow's action deserves condemnation from the entire international community, and Russia must understand that its violations of international law carry consequences.
I also remain deeply concerned about Russia's continued refusal to comply with the terms of the ceasefire ending hostilities with Georgia. Reports indicate that Russian troops remain around the port city of Poti, a location that has no connection to South Ossetia or even to the 'buffer zone' Moscow is attempting to establish around it. Russia's deployments around Poti seem aimed at maintaining an economic stranglehold over Georgia's major Black Sea port.
BARACK OBAMA STATEMENT
I condemn Russia's decision to recognize Abkhazia and South Ossetia as independent states and call upon all countries of the world not to accord any legitimacy to this action. If Russia's government continues to violate the norms and practices of the international community, the United States and our allies must review all aspects of relations with Russia.
Late in the day, the Russian Ambassador to the UN, Vitaly Churkin, explained the Russian President's actions, which the United States and other allied nations had strongly condemed, by indicating that the Georgian attack on South Ossetia created a "new reality" on the ground in Georgia and that, that "new reality" negated former UN resolutions guaranteeing the territorial integrity of Georgia.
Typical of the allied responses to this new Russian assertion and explanation was the British UN Ambassador, John Sawyers, who called the Russian action "completely unjustifiable" and a breach of successive Security Council resolutions and the six-point European Union-brokered cease-fire, which calls for a internationally negotiated resolution to South Osseti, and which Russia itself had agreed to only the week before after the fighting had stopped. He went on to say that, "So, in the space of three weeks, Russia has gone from reaffirming Georgia's territorial integrity to using military force to redraw the boundaries of Georgia."
While all of this was going on throughout the day, Cindy McCain, the wife of Senator John McCain, and a friend to Georgia who is known for her philanthropy, was in Georgia, in and around Tiblisi, visiting and giving encourgament to families, men, women, and children injured and/or displaced by the recent fighting.
AUGUST 27, 2008
 
The US Coast Guard Cutter, Dallas, docked at Batumi and began unloading its humanitarian supplies, ending speculation that the ship might first go to the port of Poti where Russian soldiers were blocking entrance to the port, and where Russian vessels of the Black Sea fleet were patrolling.
The Russians moved their six to eight vessels from a station in the vicinity of the Georgian port Poti into Abkhazian territorial waters, in possible anticipation that the US warships, USS McFaul and the USCGC Dallas might arrive, but also bolstered their fleet around the area. The Moscow, the Russian guided missile cruiser and flagship, visited Sevastopol over the weekend, reloaded armaments and supplies, and returned to sea immediately, Ukrainian naval intelligence sources reported..
This came in response to the continued NATO buildup of vessels in the area which now consist of vessels from the US, Spain, Canada, Germany, POland, and Turkey and could number as many as eighteen warships by the weekend when they would be strong enough to overpower the entire Russian Black Sea Fleet if necessary.
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