President Dmitri Medvedev accused the Americans on Saturday of arming Georgia under the pretence of humanitarian aid. Vice-president Dick Cheney fought back immediately, accusing the Kremlin of acts of war against the democracy in Georgia. President Medvedev declared that through his intervention in Georgia, Russia did nothing but stop military aggression and protect its citizens.
Medvedev warned that Russia is now a power not to be taken lightly. He criticized those who instead of supporting Russias action continue arming the Georgians and send an entire war fleet to give humanitarian aid. Although he didnt explicitly mention the U.S., the president clearly meant the battle ships that have arrived in Georgia.
Also in Moscow, the leader of the secessionist republic, Abkhazia, declared that he will insist on Russias keeping its troops on his territory. The American reply came from vice-president Dick Cheney, who whilst in Italy gave one of the harshest speeches since the beginning of the conflict.
He accused the Russian army of keeping the conflict in Georgia alive, killing civilians and driving thousands of people away from their homes. Cheney added that Moscow seemed to want to impose its will on the countries that it once dominated, and appealed to NATO against this threat.
The European Union continues to place its bets on diplomacy. Foreign ministers of the 27 member states have expressed their desire for their own observation mission to Georgia. Its mandate will depend, however, on the results of the Union leaders visit to Moscow, which will take place tomorrow.
The Presidents of France and of The European Commission, Nicolas Sarkozy and Jose Manuel Barroso also hope to get an exact deadline for the withdrawal of Russian troops to the positions that they were in before the conflict. The Foreign Ministers have also asked for an international investigation into the war in Georgia.
Pre?edintele Dmitri Medvedev i-a acuzat sâmb?t? pe americani c? înarmeaz? Georgia sub acoperirea asisten?ei umanitare. Vicepre?edintele Dick Cheney a ripostat imediat, acuzând Kremlinul de "acte de r?zboi contra democra?iei din Georgia". Pre?edintele Medvedev a declarat c?, prin interven?ia sa în Georgia, Rusia nu a f?cut decât s? opreasc? agresiunea militar? ?i s?-?i apere cet??enii.
El a avertizat c? Rusia este acum o putere de care trebuie s? se ?in? seama. Medvedev i-a criticat pe cei care, în loc s? aprobe ac?iunea Rusiei, continu? s?-i înarmeze pe georgieni ?i trimit o întreag? flot? de r?zboi s? aduc? ajutoare umanitare. De?i nu a men?ionat explicit Statele Unite, pre?edintele s-a referit n mod evident, la navele americane sosite în Georgia.
Tot la Moscova, liderul republicii secesioniste Abhazia a declarat c? va cere "insistent" Rusiei s? men?in? trupe pe teritoriul s?u. Riposta american? a venit de la vicepre?edintele Dick Cheney, care a rostit, în Italia, unul din cele mai dure discursuri de la declan?area conflictului.
Cheney a acuzat armata rus? c? a înte?it conflictul intern din Georgia, a ucis civili ?i a alungat zeci de mii de persoane de la casele lor. El a ad?ugat c? Moscova pare s? doreasc? s?-?i impun? voin?a asupra ??rilor pe care le-a dominat cândva ?i a f?cut apel la unitatea NATO împotriva acestor amenin??ri.
Uniunea European? continu? s? mizeze pe diploma?ie. Mini?trii de externe ai celor 27, reuni?i la Avignon, s-au pronun?at pentru desf??urarea unei misiuni proprii de observatori în Georgia. Mandatul ei va depinde, îns?, de rezultatele vizitei de mâine a liderilor Uniunii la Moscova.
Pre?edin?ii Fran?ei ?i Comisiei Europene, Nicolas Sarkozy ?i Jose Manuel Barroso, sper? s? ob?in? ?i un termen precis pentru retragerea trupelor ruse?ti pe pozi?iile dinaintea conflictului. Mini?trii de externe au cerut, de asemenea, o anchet? interna?ional? asupra r?zboiului din Georgia.
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Time will tell whether the strategic ambitions of the French-German alliance, including those regarding the European army, will jeopardize the EU's cohesiveness, and especially how much longer they can work together within NATO.