Russia says extra security needed for withdrawal

[maddezmom]

Source: Reuters

SOCHI/TBILISI (Reuters) - Russia defied U.S. demands for an immediate pullout of its troops from Georgia on Saturday, saying extra security arrangements needed to be put in place before a withdrawal could begin.

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, working from the Black Sea resort of Sochi, added his signature to a French-led peace plan already endorsed by Georgia and by leaders of its two rebel regions.

But Medvedev also ordered "extra security measures" in the conflict zone. His Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said the withdrawal of Moscow's forces would depend on those measures, whose nature was not made clear.

The agreement drafted this week authorizes Russian forces to proceed with "additional security measures on a temporary basis" while awaiting the arrival of international peacekeepers -- which requires passage of a U.N. Security Council resolution.



Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20080816/ts_nm/georgia_ossetia_dc_137

[dipsydoodle]

1. They are destroying

the munnitions etc which could be used against them before they turn their backs. Doubtless the defence industry in the USA is delighted at this state of affairs - early replacements are sure to be on the way soon paid for by aid from the USA to Georgia.