Russia Signs Treaties With Georgia's Breakaway Regions

[Purveyor]

Source: Voice of America

17 September 2008

Russia has signed friendship and cooperation treaties with Georgia's breakaway regions of South Ossetia and Abkhazia.

Russian President Dmitri Medvedev signed the documents and pledged that his country will protect the regions. He also warned that what he called further Georgian aggression would lead to "catastrophe on a regional scale."

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Earlier, Russia's foreign ministry criticized this week's visit to Georgia by NATO Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer and an alliance delegation. It said the trip showed that NATO is still driven by what it termed Cold War-style thinking.

In Washington, White House spokesman, Gordon Johndroe again called on Russia to respect Georgia's territorial integrity. He urged the Russians to live up to their commitment to pull their forces back to positions held before the outbreak of last month's conflict in Georgia.

Tuesday, De Hoop Scheffer called the road to NATO entry "wide open" for Georgia despite Russian opposition, but said Georgians must first implement needed democratic reforms.

Read more: http://www.voanews.com/english/2008-09-17-voa42.cfm

[Ian David]

1. In other words, Russia has declared sides in Georgia's Civil War.

If there was a Civil War in Mexico or Canada, I think The United States would be given some slack for taking sides.

[davidinalameda]

2. it's not a civil war

and I wonder how much Russia influenced these regions in the start?

Russia is building back its empire piece by piece

[Ian David]

3. Two regions within Georgia declared independence.

Georgia invaded the break-away Georgian regions.

Russia responded with bombs, tanks and troops.

Georgia signs treaty with the break-away regions within Georgia.

Russia is taking sides in the Georgian Civil War.

[LanternWaste]

4. I was under the impression that S. Ossetia...

I was under the impression that S. Ossetia had merely asked for partial autonomy at the behest of the Ademon Nykhas in the early nineties rather declaring absolute independence, and that the recently ended hostilities were the final result of that. :shrug:

[Ian David]

5. Possibly, but the fact remains that McCain's lobbyist and Karl Rove told Georgia...

... that if Georgia invaded South Osetia, the U.S. would have their back.

That's why Georgia fired first, bombing them in the middle of the night.

Whether South Osetia wanted "partial autonomy" or full independence at the time is not the issue.

Georgia attacked first.

McCain, Rove and Cheney told them we'd have their back if they did it.

Russia responded with massive, overwhelming and brutal force.

And now Russia has picked a side in the Civil War that Georgia started at McCain's behest.

[eridani]

6. Not bloody likely. The Ossetians want Russians there

The Poles, Czechs, etc sure the hell don't.