Georgia to cut diplomatic ties with Moscow

TBILISI, Georgia — Georgia severed diplomatic ties with Moscow on Friday to protest the presence of Russian troops on its territory. Russia said the move would only make things worse.

With European Union leaders set to discuss on Monday in Brussels how to deal with an increasingly assertive Russia, Prime Minister Vladimir Putin angrily warned Europe not to do America's bidding and said Moscow does not fear Western sanctions.

Russia has faced isolation over its offensive in Georgia and stands alone in its recognition of breakaway regions South Ossetia and Abkhazia. The U.S. and Europe have closed ranks in condemning Russia's actions but are struggling to find an effective response.

EU leaders are not expected to impose sanctions on Russia at their summit but may name a special envoy to Georgia to ensure that a cease-fire is observed, French and Belgian officials said.

Georgia's diplomats in Russia will leave Moscow on Saturday, the Foreign Ministry said. Georgia's leadership followed through on a call from lawmakers who voted late Thursday to break off ties with Russia.

Russia criticized the move, saying it would not help mend ruined ties.

Both nations' consulates, however, will remain open _ important for the many Georgian citizens living in Russia. Under the 1963 Vienna Convention on Consular Relations, breaking off diplomatic ties does not automatically lead to a cut in consular relations.

The diplomatic break will require Georgia and Russia to negotiate through third countries if they negotiate at all _ a sticky situation because Russia sees Western nations as biased in Georgia's favor. Georgia, which had pushed for a greater role for international organizations, could see it as an advantage.

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"We found ourselves in an awkward situation when a country militarily invading and occupying our country, then recognizing part of its territories, is trying to create a sense of normalcy" by maintaining diplomatic relations, Foreign Minister Eka Tkeshelashvili said in Sweden.

But the move may bring little practical change, because there were few signs of any productive diplomacy even before the war. Trade between Russia and Georgia is also minimal, following Russian bans in 2006 on Georgia's major exports _ wine and mineral water _ and other products.

Only a fraction of foreign investment in Georgia comes from Russia, while a Russian ban on direct flights to and from Georgia was lifted this year but flights were halted again as the war erupted. Overland travel is already severely restricted because of impassable mountain ranges, and main routes linking Georgia and Russia pass through South Ossetia and Abkhazia.

The five-day war broke out Aug. 7 when Georgia attacked South Ossetia in a bid to wrest control from separatists. Russia sent in tanks, troops and bombers, and has maintained a powerful military presence.

Kurt Volker, the U.S. Ambassador to NATO, said Georgia shouldn't be blamed for sparking the crisis.

"It wasn't a Georgian attack on Tskhinvali that launched all of this," Volker said in an interview with the British Broadcasting Corp., referring to South Ossetia's capital. "It was Russian pressure over a long period of time and then shelling coming from South Ossetians."

Still, he said Georgia's attack on South Ossetia "was not a wise thing to do because as we've seen Russia was prepared to launch a major invasion."

Russia further angered the West and startled its supporters by recognizing South Ossetia and Abkhazia on Tuesday.

Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili applauded the lack of global support for recognition of the breakaway regions.

"Today it is a fight between the civilized and the uncivilized worlds," Saakashvili said on visit to Poti, a Black Sea port still shadowed by Russian forces who have set up positions nearby.

Putin said Russia defended the lives of its citizens during the war in Georgia.

"Such a country will not be in isolation," Putin said in an excerpt of an interview with Germany's ARD television shown on state-run Russian television.

___

Associated Press writers Yuras Karmanau in Tskhinvali; Jim Heintz in Tbilisi; Maria Danilova, David Nowak and Steve Gutterman in Moscow, Laurent Pirot in Paris and Malin Rising in Stockholm contributed to this report.

Comments

[dmack]

I've read an interesting article stating that our media coverage on this offensive is backwards. Has anyone read that Russia was there to help Ossteria with an aggresive Georgia? Has anyone considered the Region south of this conflict is Iran. I also saw a video on Youtube, which said that we have fueled this conflict as a reason to commit troops to the area. Has anyone else read anything like this?

[Blutus]

Yeah Sparky. It seems to be the topic of the day for the last week or so.

Catch up on your sleep yet?

[dmack]

Look here Zeek, I don't have much time to sit back on the lazyboy, crack a brewsky, and channel surf. I asked a simple question. If the question is something you think is beneath your great wisdom, then don't respond.

[mtnrdr]

It's all about oil. Drill at home now and reduce our dependance on foreign oil. The corrupt UN will do nothing. This looks like a WWII Chamberlin deal.

[dmack]

Or, we can use the technology available to us. We have automobiles that doesn't run on fossil fuels. Only use the fossils for military vehicles and public transpo. This can be accomplished in 5 years or less. But, since the oil companies purchased our government, we may never see this unless we, The People, demand it.

[TRIATHLON]

IT’S ALL THE FAULT OF (US/MIC & ISRAEL)

Kurt Volker, the (US/MIC) Untied States Military Industrial Complex Ambassador to (NATO) The North Atlantic Treaty Organization, said The former Soviet Republic of Georgia shouldn't be blamed for the attack on the South Ossetia’s capital of Tskhinvali, and Blue Helmeted (UN) United Nation Peace Keeping Forces, and the killing of thousands of innocent civilians for sparking an international crisis.

The former Soviet Republic of Georgia was forced by (US/MIC) The United States Military Industrial Complex, who encouraged the rapid expansion of the Georgian armed forces, approved hundreds of millions of dollars of military assistance to Georgia, encouraged Israeli Mossad Intelligence Agents and CIA working closely with the Pentagon to operate important stations in Tbilisi intelligence.

It was Israeli arms dealers, and businessmen who acted as the arms and weaponry supplier, selling ($200M) two hundred million dollars or more in military equipment to the former Soviet Republic of Georgia Government, it was Israel and (US/MIC) Blackwater mercenaries advisors, and trainers, working with Georgian military units down to battalion level, that should be blamed.

[realtalk]

The Georgians are playing games, and they really CANNOT afford to do that right now!! The Georgian government better start thinking about their citizens, and NOT about government postering!!

[Skwege]

So they're just not going to talk to their humongous neighbor to the North? Jesus Christ! Between this and the Sarah Palin pick I think I woke up in bizarroworld. I think I will hibernate until Nov. 5. This is getting way too weird.

[Coinyer101]

it's getting downright dangerous. i have little doubt mcbusheuneman was behind this.

[MagisterLudi]

Hmm, I think it's time to raise oil and gas prices. I am sure Azheris would be happy to oblige. This will cool off NATO for a bit.

[itsamessi]

Putin loosing sleep.

[Nicolaus]

I can't see that when essentially Russia is still calling the shots.

Through well calculated and measured actions have been on a winning streak. The Administration which built its foreign policy on intimidating its allies now finds itself unable to bring them together, or putting out an understandable position that bring to theirs to its side of the dispute. Examples:

1. For all intents and purposes, the South East Asian nations, following TWO conferences support Russia - despite wishful reports in our 'free' press.
2. Europe is unable to execute on US demands to work out sanctions against Russia. Sarkozy, the current President of EU, announced yesterday that their forthcoming meeting will NOT discuss sanctions.
3. Most developing countries sided with Russia - including neighboring countries like China, after two regional meetings.

Militarily, Russia, expects renewed fighting. Arms are flowing in the form of 'humanitarian' aid. On that front:

1. The Russian fleet took up positions in ports that encircle the Georgian coast. US Navy ships are in defenseless waters and are most likely to stay put in a new conflagration.
2. One can be certain that Georgia is surrounded by Russian army units ready to repulse an attack. Experience suggests that the Georgian army - now bereft of an Air Force - is not a match to the Russian.

This leaves the Russian leadership to concentrate on the diplomatic game. Mr. Putin's remarks fall squarely into that category.

[Coinyer101]

mcbusheuneman is probably at work here,like put-in says.

[MagisterLudi]

"It wasn't a Georgian attack on Tskhinvali that launched all of this," Volker said in an interview with the British Broadcasting Corp., referring to South Ossetia's capital. "It was Russian pressure over a long period of time and then shelling coming from South Ossetians."

Translation:

It's not the people that started the shooting that started the shooting. It's the people who failed to run away fast enough from Georgian multiple missile launchers that are to blame."

A genius of convoluted logic rivaling the best of Bushisms.

[research]

They have McCain's foreign adviser lobbying for them.

[MagisterLudi]

O--bbama's foreign adviser greybeard Brzezinski is also a virulen-t Anti-Russian. Both Demis and Repubes are supportive of American Imperia-l perspective.

[Nicolaus]

Give him a break. He is correcting a blunder he made in the second day of the war when he said "Georgia started the war."

That was reported in DebkaFile, an Israeli news, but was not carried by our 'free' press. The Russians do not think much of this person, and probably do not pay him much attention, and we too, should do the same. It is Dr. Rice (the Specialist in Russian Affairs) and the Grand Wizard - not the President, that is. The President is on vacation, or planning one.

[MagisterLudi]

Military monitors from the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe said Georgia had made extensive preparations for the offensive on the breakaway region of South Ossetia on August 7
OSCE observers were blaming Georgia for triggering the crisis in a series of unofficial reports to the German government.
DebkaFile is NOT a news outlet but a blog.