US Urges Immediate Ceasefire in Georgia Conflict
By David Gollust
State Department
08 August 2008
The United States Friday called for an immediate ceasefire in the conflict between Georgia and Russia over the breakaway Georgian region of South Ossetia. A U.S. envoy is being dispatched to the area to press for an end to hostilities. VOA's David Gollust reports from the State Department.
Officials here say Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and other senior U.S. diplomats are conducting an urgent round of telephone diplomacy with the parties, in the hope of de-escalating the crisis over South Ossetia.
The United States has established a close relationship in recent years with the government of Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili, and has long been trying to defuse tensions between Tbilisi and Moscow over both South Ossetia and Abkhazia, breakaway Georgian regions heavily influenced by Russia.
At a news briefing, State Department Acting Spokesman Gonzalo Gallegos reiterated U.S. support for Georgia's territorial integrity in the latest flare-up and said the United States wants to see an immediate cease-fire.
"We urge all parties, including Georgians, South Ossetians and Russians to de-escalate and avoid conflict," he said. "We're working on mediation efforts to secure a cease-fire. We are today sending an envoy to the region to engage with the parties in the conflict. Secretary Rice and other senior officials have spoken with and continue to work with the parties to seek an end to hostilities."
A senior State Department official, who spoke later, said the Bush administration is hoping to coordinate its mediation effort with European countries and that because of the fluid situation, the U.S. envoy would not necessarily leave Washington on Friday.
The U.S. call for a cease-fire echoed similar appeals from the United Nations, NATO, the European Union and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, the OSCE, which has also said it is sending an envoy to the region.
The U.S. Defense Department meanwhile said it was monitoring developments in Georgia closely and has received no request for assistance from Tbilisi since additional Russian troops entered Georgia this week.
A Pentagon spokesman said about 130 U.S. defense personnel and contractors, posted in the Tbilisi area to train Georgian troops for duty in Iraq, are all safe and accounted for.
Georgia, with 2,000 of its troops in Iraq, is one of the biggest contributors to the U.S.-led coalition there.
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