Georgia lobbies NATO on "dangerous" Russian move

[maddezmom]

Source: Reuters

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - Georgia held emergency talks with NATO and European Union allies on Friday, urging them to remain firm in pressing Russia to drop plans for closer ties with two rebel Georgian regions.

Moscow announced on Wednesday it would establish legal links with Georgia's breakaway regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia, which border Russia in the Caucasus. Georgia calls it a move towards annexation and NATO immediately urged Russia to reverse the decision.

~snip~

Baramidze called the Russian step "very, very dangerous" and a threat not just to Georgia but to all Europe and NATO.

"This is a decisive moment," he told a news conference.

"The Russians have crossed the red line and Europe and the Euro-Atlantic community must react...to prove that they are willing to protect young democracies."



Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20080418/wl_nm/russia_georgia_nato_dc

[maddezmom]

1. NATO offers Georgia support over Russian moves

NATO offers Georgia support over Russian moves 58 minutes ago



BRUSSELS (AFP) - NATO on Friday expressed its support to Georgian Vice Prime Minister Giorgi Baramidze over Russian moves to boost ties with the breakaway Georgian regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia.

"Deputy NATO Secretary General Claudio Bisogniero, confirmed to him that the Alliance is in favour of Russia reversing its decision," NATO spokesman James Appathurai said.

Baramidze was on a hastily organised trip to meet NATO and EU officials in Brussels to seek support after Russia on Wednesday announced it would boost cooperation with Abkhazia and South Ossetia, in trade, culture and other areas and provide "complete protection" to Russians living there.

The NATO spokesman said that the visiting Georgian delegation "had set out Georgia's concerns and expressed satisfaction on the position taken by NATO Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer."


more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20080418/wl_afp/natogeorgiarussiadiplomacy_080418124934

[mainegreen]

2. So it's OK some regions break away, but not others?

Ah, such is our hypocrisy.

[SquireJons]

3. Exactly

This is a much better response than directly backing Serbia in it's dispute with Kosovo. Americans tend to forget that Russians are very good at chess.

Your move, Condi...

[provis99]

4. did Georgia recognize the breakaway states of Yugoslavia?

Is so, my sympathy for their own situation is effectively zero.

[TheLastMohican]

5. Remember folks!

Kosovo is a 'unique case" brought to you by Bush and Co.

Do you ever wonder why our double-standard politics keeps firing in our face?