NATO States Seek To Reassure Baltics

By Reuters
BRUSSELS — NATO states back a U.S. call to show the alliance is prepared to defend Baltic members Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania from any attack after Russia’s intervention in Georgia, an alliance spokesman says.

U.S. envoy Kurt Volker said in an interview published in the “Financial Times” that the 26-nation Western military alliance must send signals through “planning and exercises” that it intends to help shore up the Baltic states.

“Those countries are members of NATO; so if there is any attack on those countries, we will respond,” Volker told the paper in an interview.

“They are feeling a little rattled by seeing Russia use military force to invade a sovereign, small neighboring country. We need to send signals to shore them up a little bit.

U.S. To Announce $1 Billion In Aid For Georgia

U.S. President George W. Bush is set to announce a $1 billion aid package for Georgia to help rebuild the Caucasus country after last month’s conflict with Russia.

“The New York Times” quotes a Bush administration official as saying the package is aimed at rebuilding Georgia’s infrastructure and its economy.

The planned assistance to Georgia would stretch over several years, Reuters quotes a U.S. official as saying.

IMF to allocate 750 mln to Georgia

The International Monetary Fund is set to reach a preliminary deal this week to lend Georgia $750 million to help stabilize its economy and finance rebuilding from its brief war with Russia, Wall Street Journal reported on Wednesday.

The Journal report gave few other details of the IMF loan package, other than to say that it would be a $750 million credit line and may coincide with other U.S. and European aid packages worth $2 billion or more. A Western official said final approval of the IMF loan depends on approval by the organization’s governing board, the newspaper said.

Russia closes embassy in Georgia

Embassy of the Russian Federation in Georgia has cancelled operation after Georgian government announced that it was cutting diplomatic ties with Russia. Russian embassy will be closed until the staff receives an order to resume functioning. The signboard has been already pulled down.

The date of diplomats’ departure is yet unknown, however, ambassador Kovalenko has said he will leave Georgia in two days. Swedish ambassador to Georgia was visiting the embassy today to say farewell to the Russian colleague.

OSCE to send 100 observers to Georgia

The OSCE will increase the number of international monitors in Georgia, the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly President’s special representative Goran Lennmarker announced at the meeting with Georgian MPs.

Mr. Lennmarker reiterated the position of the OSCE which supports Georgia’s territorial integrity and announced that the organization would send 100 observers to make unbiased assessment of the August developments in Georgia.

After meeting with the members of the parliament the OSCE special representatives discussed Georgia crisis with Georgian deputy foreign minister Giga Bokeria and the state minister for reintegration Temur Iakobashvili. OSCE envoy has also met with the parliament speaker.

European Parliament approves resolution on Georgia

The European Parliament has approved a resolution on Georgia crisis today. The document of 35 points includes several paragraphs, which is dedicated to the economic and political support for Georgia and Russia’s latest activities against its Southern neighbor.

The European Parliament has approved the decision of the European Council, however, the members of the European parliament urge the European leaders to make more specific steps and impose sanctions against Russia unless the aggressor fails to fulfill the obligations stipulated in the 6-point French-brokered ceasefire agreement.

If Russian troops remain in Georgia until 8 September, the European Union will quit talks with Russia on further cooperation.

US state department on Georgia

QUESTION: Can you give us an update on the Secretary’s recent contacts, especially on Georgia but perhaps other things? Has she been in contact with any of the familiar faces or voices at the other end of the telephone line?

MR. MCCORMACK: Well, she has had calls. I don’t have a – has a variety of different calls. I’m not going to run down every single call that she’s – that she’s making as a part of her normal workday. She has – the last time that she spoke with Foreign Minister Lavrov, which I assume is at the heart of your question, was back on August 15th. And I assume that your next question will be, “Well, why doesn’t she pick up the phone and call?” Well, the fact of the matter is Russia knows what it needs to do. It needs to get its troops back to those pre-August 6th lines. And the United States and Europe are completely and utterly united on that fact.