Bush deeply concerned by “Russian troop movements into Georgia”
In a special statement from the White House Monday night, Aug. 11, the US president said the Russians may soon be bombing targets in the Georgian capital. This was a dramatic escalation. It was inconsistent with Russian assurances that their purpose was to restore the status quo ante of Aug. 6, and meant they may now be seeking to depose Georgia’s elected government. This is unacceptable in the 21st century.
Bush demanded that Russia accept the peace agreement put forward by the US and Europe and let talks start again. Russia must respect Georgia’s territorial integrity and sovereignty.
debkafile notes that the agreement was rejected by Moscow after it was signed by the Georgian president in Tbilisi in the presence of the French and Finnish foreign ministers.
Washington sources comment that, despite President Bush’s tough tone compared with his previous statements on the Russian-Georgian conflict – “Russia has substantially damaged its standing in the world and jeopardized its relations with the US and Europe,” – his brief statement came too late affect the course of events in and around Georgia or to deter Moscow from its military pressure to topple President Saakashvili in Tbilisi.