Russia to keep forces at key port

[muriel_volestrangler]

Source: BBC

Russia has defended plans to keep its forces in the key Georgian port of Poti, saying it does not break terms of a French-brokered ceasefire deal.

The US, France and UK say Russia has already failed to comply by creating buffer zones around the breakaway regions of South Ossetia and Abkhazia.
...
Russia insists it is allowed these zones under previous peacekeeping agreements that ended fighting in Abkhazia and South Ossetia when they first broke away from Tbilisi in the 1990s.
...
Gen Nogovitsyn admitted that Poti, 32km (20 miles) south of Abkhazia, was outside this zone.
...
The deal's terms are vague about the extent of any buffer zones, analysts say.

Read more: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/7578250.stm

---

I can't believe they created a deal that didn't define buffer zones precisely. What a waste of time, then.

[bemildred]

1. When they signed the deal, all they wanted to do was "make it stop".

"We'll fix it later ...".

[dipsydoodle]

2. Just a geographical glitch -

bit like NATO being in Afghanistan I suppose.

[ohio2007]

3. US move arouses Russian suspicion ( Georgian aid via NATO gunboat )

US move arouses Russian suspicion
The United States' move to pass a missile destroyer loaded with humanitarian supplies through the straits on its way to Georgia has drawn reaction from the Russian military, reported NTV news channel Friday.

“The United States sending a military vessel to the Black Sea is raising suspicions,” Anatoly Nogovitsyn, deputy chief of the Russian military's general staff, was quoted as saying.

snip
A U.S. official, speaking with the Turkish Daily News, said the mission was entirely an aid operation to meet Georgia's humanitarian needs.

“The United States and other countries and international organizations have responded to the humanitarian crisis in Georgia by sending urgently needed humanitarian aid,”

snip
Turkey says any military vessels in compliance with the Montreux Convention can pass through the straits. Turkish diplomatic sources told the TDN that Turkey was ready to help international efforts to get aid to Georgia and that it could not prevent humanitarian aid operations to the war-torn country unless the ships loaded with relief supplies violated the convention.

“It is not rational to expect Turkey to block the passage of military vessels carrying aid to Georgia in line with the established principles,” said a Turkish diplomat.

snip

Turkey, which has close ties with neighboring Georgia and is a key strategic ally of the United States, has been walking a delicate diplomatic line during the Caucasus conflict trying not to antagonize its energy partner, Russia.

http://www.turkishdailynews.com.tr/article.php?enewsid=113453

Being off loaded from warships does send a diplomatic message. Will Russian soldiers be told to allow the aid to pass throgh the port without any of it "falling off the trucks" ? It will be interesting to see who signs and accepts the aid shipments. Gotta verify the Georgians will get it as the world will be watching.

Investors Looking To Leave Russia?

INVESTOR'S BUSINESS DAILY
August 22, 2008

The Georgia Invasion: In contrast with the West's otherwise tepid response to Moscow's new nationalism, one group has taken a tough stance — investors, who are leading the march out of Russia's markets.

On Friday, Russia's central bank announced that its foreign currency reserves — a key part of its economic stability and an indicator of foreign investor support — had plunged $16.4 billion in the most recent week, to $581.1 billion (see chart).



snip

http://georgiandaily.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=6472&It

[Ezana]

4. As if they have been doing Russia a favour, by inveting there !

[Ezana]

5. As if they have been doing Russia a favour by investing there- corrected version

[matt007]

6. If Georgia wants that city back........

EVER after this little war, It needs to give up South Ossetia to Russia COMPLETELY. Need to cut their losses.