As AFP relates (and there was a much more detailed report in my Spanish El País this morning (1) - along with the full El País interview with Mikhail (2) which really must get fully and accurately translated into English), this marks the fleshing-out of the details of the agreement brokered by Sarkozy/EU such that Russian forces shall withdraw to where they were before the recent conflict (and, very importantly, international observers will go in),
outside what in this diplomatic process is referred to as 'Georgia'. The BBC headline, or soundbite if you prefer, however, gives the impression to the dumbed-down that Russia is
not withdrawing from 'Georgia', as so defined.
Furthermore, the BBC piece makes no reference to the all-important
letter from Mr. Saaskavili (all-important in the negotiations to convince Mr. Medvedev to agree, we are told here in Europe) in which he pledges that his country will not commit any further aggression against either autonomous region. (3)
I call this spin. Most people don't hear more than the TV soundbite or read more than the Newspuke headline.
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(1):
http://www.elpais.com/articulo/internacional/Rusia/retirara/Georgia/mes/elpepuint/20080909elpepiint_1/Tes(2):
http://www.elpais.com/articulo/internacional/escudo/antimisiles/Rusia/elpepuint/20080909elpepiint_2/Tes(3): ... more time required to search and find this document ... Note that in (2) above we read, along with other highly relevant material, the following:
Pregunta (El País): ¿Es verdad que James Baker
le prometió que la OTAN no se expandiría hacia el Este si usted avalaba la reunificación de Alemania y la permanencia del nuevo sujeto en la Alianza?
Respuesta (Gorbachov): No fue una promesa a mí; fue hecha al mundo. Está grabada en el memorando de la conversación que mantuvimos.
-->
Question (El País): Is it true that James Baker promised you that NATO would not expand towards the East if you allowed the reunification of Germany and its membership in the Alliance?
Answer (Gorbachov): It was not a promise to me; it was a promise to the world. It is recorded in the minutes of our conversation.
/... http://www.elpais.com/articulo/internacional/escudo/antimisiles/Rusia/elpepuint/20080909elpepiint_2/TesIs much of such information related by the BBC or in most US media? No.