U.N. Says Georgians Blocked From Homes

Russian Troops In Georgian Territory Effectively Preventing Residents From Returning Home, U.N. Official Says

(AP)  Russian troops remaining in Georgian territory are effectively preventing Georgians from returning to their homes, a UN representative said Saturday.

Melita Sunjic, spokeswoman for the UN High Commissioner of Refugees in Georgia, told The Associated Press that although it was not clear if Russian soldiers were actually preventing refugees from returning, the warnings block them from going home.

"If they say 'we can't guarantee your safety,' you don't go," she said.

Some 2,000 refugees are at UNHCR camps in Gori, and thousands of others may in the region. They hope to return to villages in the so-called "security zones" Russia has claimed for itself on Georgian territory south of the border with the separatist republic of South Ossetia.

U.S. Senator Bob Corker, a member of the Foreign Relations Committee, visited Gori on Saturday to observe the distribution of US food aid.

The United States has sent substantial aid to Georgia in the wake of the war, using naval ships and military aircraft. Russian officials raised speculation that the military involvement could indicate the United States was seeking to restore Georgia's armed forces, which had received massive military aid from Washington in recent years.

Asked whether the United States was considering new military aid, Corker said "these subjects are part of a longer and midterm discussion" when Congress reconvenes in September.

Fighting broke out Aug. 7 when Georgian forces began heavy shelling of the South Ossetian capital, Tskhinvali, hoping to retake control of the province. Russian forces poured in, pushed the Georgians out in a matter of days and then drove deep into Georgia proper.

Under an EU-brokered cease-fire, both sides were supposed to return their forces to prewar positions, but Russia has interpreted one of the agreement's clauses as allowing it to set up 7-kilometer deep security zones, which are now marked by Russian checkpoints.

Refugees coming into Georgia from those zones say they are being terrorized, beaten and robbed by South Ossetians.

Georgia has severed diplomatic ties with Moscow to protest the presence of Russian troops on its territory. It claims, as does the West, that Russia is violating the EU agreement. The Georgian government announced Friday that diplomatic staff would leave Georgia's Moscow embassy Saturday, though Georgian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Khatuna Iosana said they had not left as of 6:30 p.m. local time.

"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, Georgian Foreign Minister Eka Tkeshelashvili said in Sweden earlier.

Russia condemned the diplomatic cutoff, which will require Georgia and Russia to negotiate through third countries if they negotiate at all. That would make for 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 advantage.

But it may bring little change, because there were few signs of productive diplomacy even before the war.

Trade between Russia and Georgia is also minimal, following Russia's imposition in 2006 of bans on Georgia's major exports - wine and mineral water - and other products. Only a fraction of foreign investment in Georgia comes from Russia. A Russian ban on direct flights to and from Georgia was lifted this year but flights halted again when the war erupted.

Russia has faced isolation over its offensive in Georgia and its recognition of South Ossetia and Abkhazia. No other country has followed suit and recognized the regions' independence. The United States and Europe have condemned Russia's actions but are hard-pressed to find an effective response.

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

Adding to the tension, a lawmaker in South Ossetia said Russia intends eventually to absorb the province.

South Ossetian parliamentary speaker Znaur Gassiyev said Friday that Russia will absorb South Ossetia within "several years" or even earlier. He said that position was "firmly stated" by both the province's leader, Eduard Kokoity, and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev in talks in Moscow earlier this week.

The statement stoked Georgian suspicion that Moscow's intent all along has been to annex South Ossetia.

In Moscow, a Kremlin spokeswoman said Friday there was "no official information" on the talks.

South Ossetia broke away from Georgia's central government during a war in the early 1990s, and many see integration into Russia as a logical next step for the province with closer ethnic ties to North Ossetia, in Russia, than with Georgia.

[tapsettle]

Those living in South Ossetia did not want to be a part of Russia or Georgia but probably prefer to be linked with Russia `now` because of the alleged aggression from Georgia.
-----
Posted by tbweb

Alleged???? What you mean like Bush''s "alleged" torture??? Or Cheneys "alleged" links with Halliburton??? Nothing alleged about Georgias aggression that started the recent Caucasus war, and nothing "alleged" about US involvement in stoking it either.

[tapsettle]

What a headline "U.N. Says Georgians Blocked From Homes"

Do they say anything about the South Ossetians buried in the rubble of theirs? I thought not. The US plan continues.

[tbweb]

Posted by TommyGun083 at 04:37 PM : Aug 31, 2008,,,
Posted by MiamiDerick at 05:02 PM : Aug 31, 2008,,,

My research indicates that half of Ossetia wanted to be a part of Russia and half wanted independence. Joseph Stalin divided Ossetia and created South Ossetia for the independent minded Ossetians and made it a part of Georgia and North Ossetia was made a part of Russia. Those living in South Ossetia did not want to be a part of Russia or Georgia but probably prefer to be linked with Russia `now` because of the alleged aggression from Georgia. In an official context no matter what the history was, South Ossetia is legally and official a part of Georgia `now` and while Georgia may have acted improperly Georgia still did so within its own internationally recognized borders. The response by Moscow was over the top and not the best way this situation should have been handled. Even worst, Moscow negotiated and signed agreements it did not honor and is now unilaterally redrawing borders without international discussion or debate.

[miamiderick]

All this discussion is about the political and economic struggles of the big world powers and the big oil companies, and nothing to do with the people of Ossetia and Abkhazia. These people were part of Russia long before they were forced to be part of Georgia, by that Georgian, Joseph Stalin. They originally sought to be part of Russia because they needed protection from marauding hordes and from the attacks of their neighbors. Now, hundreds of years later, nothing has changed. If they want to be part of Russia, they should be allowed to remain part of Russia.

[tommygun083]

The people of Ossetia and Abkhazia are living on the land of their ancestors, where their people have lived for centuries. When the Soviet Union was formed, they were arbitrarily lumped in with Georgia by Joseph Stalin. This has always been an unnatural amalgamation, and the two groups have never really commingled with the Georgian population. Saakashvili has had ample opportunity to make peace with these two ethnic groups, and to assimilate them as part of the Georgia government. However killing them and purging them from their land are not acceptable solutions. Historically and culturally, they are better suited to remaining part of Russia, the country that has protected them from invasion and protected their ethnicity for hundreds of years.

[samsel3]

The truth is, this is all about control of oil & gas pipelines. The BTC oil pipeline in South Ossetia & the Nabucco natural gas pipeline in NW Georgia supply markets in the European Union. In November 2003 the World Bank funded the BTC pipeline to circumvent Russian pipelines supplying europe.

Shareholders in the BTC pipeline are: British Petroleum, AzBTC, Chevron, Statoil, TPAO, ENI, Total, Itochu, INPEX, ConocoPhillips & Amerada Hess.

Russia is the second largest supplier of oil & gas on the planet.
After loosing Iraqi oil to Operation Iraqi Freedom, they negotiated supplies with Iran. The Russians were not happy with Cheneys BTC pipeline or the Caspian Sea Pipelines project going through Afghanistan. This threatens their economy based on oil & gas.

Again it''s the Bush administrations lust for money in World markets for their BIG OIL buddies

[dronemonk]

Before Russia rolled into Georgia, their diplomat to the UN went to the Security Council with a 3 line resolution calling for the end of Ossetian Georgian hostilities.

It went like this:
1) Georgia and S. Ossetian troops were to return to pre-hostility positions.
2) Both sides were to return to the bargaining table.
3) Both sides were to renounce the use of force.

The US and UK ambassadors refused to sign on because of number 3. So Russia rolled into Georgia and started industriously kicking stuff around. Then, all of a sudden, the Russian proposals looked good to the west, this time applied to Russia and Georgia, not S. Ossetia and Georgia.

And that''s what happens when you bait the bear...

[tbweb]

Posted by secundus2 at 01:35 PM : Aug 31, 2008,,,

You make a good point, anger at the Russian aggression against Georgia does not translate into approval or support for the Georgian aggression against South Ossetia! The problem is, before the World could respond to or condemn the Georgian aggression against South Ossetia, Russia jumps in with both feet and commits a worst aggression against Georgia! Russia did not give the World or U.N. a chance to respond to the Georgian aggression and took matters into its own hands which was not the politically correct way to proceed. Russia is the aggressor nation now since Russia proper was not threatened and Georgia acted within it`s own internationally recognized borders!

[secundus2]

Russian "recognition" of South Ossetia''s independence is like Turkey''s "recognition" of the country of Northern Cyprus.

Nobody else in the world recognizes these so-called nations. In fact everyone on the planet understands these attempts by large countries to carve out ethnic enclaves for what they are.

The whole Russian exercise smells like Hitler in Dansk/Danzig, and whatever parallel there may to Iraq, there is no plan for annexation there, only various arguments about how best to withdraw.

That is why Russia has no international backing for its behavior.

P.S. Nobody much likes the way the Georgians behaved either!

[chatmandu002]

Such a bunch of loony lefties. They have to blame everything on Bush/Cheney to justify their existence.

[dronemonk]

The Russkies tell some locals that, if they return home, their safety isn''t guaranteed. This is then pitched as "Georgians Blocked From Homes". When the USA told Iraqis refugees that their safety was not guaranteed? That''s liberation!

Propaganda most foul.

[eddom949]

I fear for Putin, unfortunately this looks like a replay of Hussein and Kuwait, and look what happened there. I''m not sure what kind of leader breaks sovereignty of the neighbors militarily but it''s like an abusive family member who needs to do something better.

[samsel3]

Why is there no news about the murders in Orissa

Posted by Prelgovisk at 07:08 AM : Aug 31, 2008

People are being murdered in Orissa because of TATA Steel Co. The sixth largest producer of steel is building a new steel plant. Tribal people are being driven off their land for strip mining of iron ore.
Again the right of eminent domain for big business preceeded by ethnic cleansing. It''s enough to make you sick.

[prelgovisk]

Why is there no news about the murders in Orissa?

[samsel3]

The truth is, this is all about control of oil & gas pipelines. The BTC oil pipeline in South Ossetia & the Nabucco natural gas pipeline in NW Georgia supply markets in the European Union. In November 2003 the World Bank funded the BTC pipeline to circumvent Russian pipelines supplying europe.

Shareholders in the BTC pipeline are: British Petroleum, AzBTC, Chevron, Statoil, TPAO, ENI, Total, Itochu, INPEX, ConocoPhillips & Amerada Hess.

Russia is the second largest supplier of oil & gas on the planet.
After loosing Iraqi oil to Operation Iraqi Freedom, they negotiated supplies with Iran. The Russians were not happy with Cheneys BTC pipeline or the Caspian Sea Pipelines project going through Afghanistan. This threatens their economy based on oil & gas.

Again it''s the Bush administrations lust for money in World markets for their BIG OIL buddies

[toldyouso12]

The USA should now annex Iraq and Afghanistan.Iran your next ,nothing personal were, more able,and your Evil.

Posted by beehive21 at 09:03 PM : Aug 30, 2008


You can only annex what you can win and control--for us that would be neither Iraq or Afghanistan--we are barely holding on in either country. Until we can control them--we can occupy them--but until they bow down to us--we will keep fighting and defiant/fighting countries cannot be annexed.

[toldyouso12]

f Russia will not honor agreements it has signed then what is the point of negotiating with Russia. If nothing can be agreed to or negotiated there are only 2 options, back down or war, neither option is appealing.


Posted by tbweb at 04:59 AM : Aug 31, 2008


Yeah. Its sort of like us signing agreements against unprovoked aggression against sovereign nations, the Geneva conventions, being against rendition and torture and agreeing to abide by the UN rules--only to turn our backs when it suits us. (Like we have done since 2002 for Iraq) Alas, we have NO room to talk. LOL

[toldyouso12]

How will all the pro-Russian folks explain Russia''''s annexation of South Ossetia? Didn''''t the Russians recognize Georgia and its territorial integrity up until a couple of weeks ago? Posted by secundus2 at 05:18 PM : Aug 30, 2008


Easy. When Russia recognized the sovereignty of Georgia in 1991, it also acknowledged the 2 break away territories and their claim of Separation. Though they did not formally recognize their Independence, since 1991 both Ossetia and Abkhazia have been recognized as "separate Republics" since 1991 with Russia avowing to honor and protect that separatism. This is why Southern Ossetians have dual citizenship with Russia and why they receive military and financial aid from Russia. Georgia knew this--but Georgia counted on the reassurance from the US that as their ally, they would be protected and the US would back them in whatever they did. Only now is Georgia realizing just how hamstrung the US has made itself, and also they are realizing the severe limitations of the West to go up against another large nuclear power.

Georgia''s president gambled and may have been egged on by Bush--but America is being shown up as a paper tiger and Georgia has been effectively b1tchslapped by Russia. Wrong is wrong. It was a separate region, Georgia should have tried a different approach. beware of Americans whispering sweet nothings in your ear--because when it come to paying the price for actions--its not our citizens that are in jeopardy.

[toldyouso12]

The biggest problem America and Europe face in the world is their own hypocrisy and double standards. The truth is--wrong is wrong. It was wrong for Georgia to attack Ossetia and start this mess, it was wrong for Israel to launch a war against Lebanon over a few kidnapped soldiers. But for some reason, the message the West keeps sending is that evil is only wrong when someone who is not an ally does it--but is perfectly okay and justified when the West or one of its club members do it.

Everyone seems to forget that this is not their grandpa''s version of the world anymore. Youtube and the internet ensure that the truth gets outed and propaganda does not rule the day. So when Bush and his crew said Russia launched an unprovoked attack on Georgia and then later we found out Georgia started it all--America had egg on our face--then the White house tried to backtrack and say that the info on the ground was too confusing and that is why it was reported wrong by them. BIG LIE. They fail to understand that we will no longer be spoonfed what is going on around us--too many sources that they do not control.

But here is truth: America cannot be a mediator or judge or even advisor so long as we are biased. And we are biased. Anytime we look at a situation and excuse or dismiss the acts of our cronies/allies while blasting only one side--then we do not err on the side of honesty, integrity or right and the world knows this.

[tbweb]

Even more disturbing than Russia not quitting Georgia is the fact that Russia is negotiating and signing agreements Russia refuses to honor! If Russia will not honor agreements it has signed then what is the point of negotiating with Russia. If nothing can be agreed to or negotiated there are only 2 options, back down or war, neither option is appealing.