Condi urges Georgian truce deal: "It is time for this crisis to be over"
By SilentPatriot Thursday Aug 14, 2008 12:07pm
At a press conference today in Tbilsi, Georgia, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice announced a six point deal brokered by French President Sarkozy that would require the immediate withdrawal of Russian troops from the disputed territories.
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Download | play (h/t Heather)
"The Russian attack on Georgia had profound implications and will have profound implications for Russia's relations with its neighbors and with the world. But our most urgent task today is the immediate and orderly withdrawal of Russian armed forces and the return of those forces to Russia. France has brokered a six part cease fire accord that will achieve that result if it is indeed honored."
Local Georgian news outlet Civil has more.
UPDATE: Georgian President Saakashvili has signed the cease-fire deal.
Rough transcript below the fold:
(Transcript via Heather)
Mr. President as President Bush noted in his statement a couple of days ago, uh he has sent me here to show the solidarity of the United States with Georgia and its people in this moment of crisis. We support Georgia's sovereignty. We support its independence. We support its territorial integrity. We support its democracy and its democratically elected government. That is America's position and in my discussions with uh my European colleagues it is the position of the Europeans as well. The Russian attack on Georgia had profound implications and will have profound implications for Russia's relations with its neighbors and with the world. But our most urgent task today is the immediate and orderly withdrawal of Russian armed forces and the return of those forces to Russia. France has brokered a six part cease fire accord that will achieve that result if it is indeed honored.
President Saakashvili as he has said has signed this document. After I have been able to offer, uh some clarifications from President Sarkozy about the meaning of certain terms. The President has signed it and now with the signature of the Georgia President on this cease fire accord all Russian troops and any irregular and paramilitary forces that entered with them must leave immediately. This is the understanding that I had with President Sarkozy yesterday, which is that when President Saakashvili signed this cease fire accord there would be an immediate withdrawal of Russian forces from Georgian territory.
With the signature of this cease fire accord by Georgia, ah this must take place and take place now. Now in order to stabilize the situation in Georgia we need international observers on the scene fast. And eventually we need a more robust and impartial peace keeping international force that would follow those monitors.
Finnish Foreign Minister Stubb who is the Chairman-in-Office of the OSCE has told us that the monitors could come to Georgia in a matter of days. I count on Russian cooperation in getting those monitors in. The United States and others are already providing humanitarian assistance to the Georgian people. Access must be immediate and unimpeded for those humanitarian efforts. When the security situation in Georgia is stabilized we will turn immediately to reconstruction and people who are displaced from their homes must be allowed to return and live in security. I want to reiterate again what the President said. He directed Secretary of Defense Robert Gates to begin a humanitarian mission to the people of Georgia headed by the United States military. That mission will be vigorous and ongoing and I believe Mr. President that that mission is now well under way.
We've started work with the Georgian government and have engaged the G7, the IMF and other international financial institutions to rapidly develop and economic support package for the Georgian economy to build on its demonstrated track record and to resume its rapid growth. We anticipate that this package will include various multilateral and bilateral mechanisms. The package should restore Georgia's economy and reinforce investor confidence as Georgia returns to its position as a leading economy in the region. Georgia has been attacked. Russian forces need to leave Georgia at once. The world needs to help Georgia maintain its sovereignty, its territorial integrity and its independence. This is no longer 1968 and the invasion of Czechoslovakia when a great power invaded a small neighbor and overthrew its government. The free world will now have to wrestle with the profound implications of this Russian attack on its neighbor for security in the region and beyond. Thank you very much Mr. President.
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what? lindsey will be pissed, he cant get 5 rugs for $5.00 now....
Condi looks pretty pitiful out there all on her own. Inimitable contrast with pictures from last week of w cavorting with the athletes, and shows where our effort has been.
Of course it is France doing the girly peace thing. Go away, France. War is for men and you're just getting in the way.
Condi Rice supporting a truce brokered by....wait for it...waaaaait for it...FRANCE.
And the heads of right wing pundits spin off their bodies and explode in a conflagration of sparks and poop.
"At a press conference today in Tbilsi, Georgia, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice announced a six point deal brokered by French President Sarkozy"
Six years ago we were ridiculing the French for not supporting our invasion of Iraq. Today, our Sec. of State is their press secretary. One word: Karma.
Has anyone told Condi's boss in the same arrogant tone that it's time fo rhis crisis in Iraq to be over too ? Of that's UnAmerican right and playing into the hands of the terrorists. And what of this Putin whose eyes Bush looked into down in Crawford, did W. have mesquite in his eye or was he drunk then too ? Seems there were some more things in Putin's pupils W. might have missed, maybe his own reflection for one. How many more day of this freakshow ?
What State is she secretary of? State of Delusion? State of Incompetence? State of Denial?
Russia was reacting to a Georgian sneak attack. Condi is posturing for war. God help us.
Chimpy stamps his feet and threatens with his limp dick and the French broker a peace deal. Sounds like the world is moving forward just as it should. Good luck Amerika cause you are SO gonna need it.
So will the Russians rename French Fries, Lenin Fries?
nick @ 8:
Her and what army?
Remember what i told you folks months ago. There will be a draft, and its your children that are going. In fact, if you're under 55, you may be going too.
Yes, I'm so sure that Georgia was waiting for Condosleeza to tell them "it's time for this crisis to be over" before they decided, in the face of being outspent 40-1 and outmanned 30-1 by Russia's military, to sign a peace treaty. Because, you know, the U.S. was totally backing them this time. Just as soon as George puts down his Tsingtao and stumbles out to the phone.
Scy @ 9:
No sign of the Chimp...he's still recovering from his performance in the beer drinking event at the Olympics.
The MSM as usual covers only the pro western aspects, of which there are few. Now that the instigator of this mess has finally signed on, the russians will pull back. But the agreement allows them to keep their peacekeepers there with EXPNDED buffer zones around S. Ossetia. Net win for the russians. Just another stupid move in the world game of chess. We almost lost a pawn there. But our rook (Poland) just castled.
Yeah, Putin is laughing. Not such a tough guy any more are ya' chimpy? Pathetic excuse for a man and a president.
The level of denial and cognitive dissonance exhibited by so called conservative Americans is truly amazing.
I'm not sure if they're simply too stupid to be embarrassed by this display or completely delusional.
(hussein)moondancer @ 15:
LOL...Putin to Bush.."What's my NAME! What's MY NAME!" ROFLMAO
Way to show leadership - Bush goes to the Olympics, Condi sends some flunkie, McCain sends Dumb and Dumber,... and France is left brokering the peace deal.
Welcome to a Post-American World.
Okay, this isn't related to the story, but I beg the moderator's pardon and hope this will be allowed to stay. I was so upset, I had to share this with the porgressive community!
As if the story is bad enough, read some of the responses following:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1220736/posts
Look what this idiot wrote: (Check out the morons handle, too. Says it all!)
So these assholes are against stem cell research to cure diseases, but if you can biologically stop 'the gay' that's genetic engineering they can live with. What
moronic, hypocritical assholes!
Liberal AND Proud @ 17:
Putin made Bush his bitch during their first meeting. "I looked into his soul" - Bush got played so hard.
Let us all be greatful
condi doesn't model Snorg Tee's.
Liberal and Proud,
Most murkins can't find the state of Georgia on a map, much less the Georgia of Europe. Wasn't it you or someone here who said "War is God's way of teaching americans geography"?
I love that line.
thank god condi intervened and it's all over now. now we can all sleep at night. wait a minute, no, i'm wrong. must be time to re up the thorazine prescription.
Liberal AND Proud @ 11:
Condi and the rest of the mongers have been throwing around the NUCLEAR words. Russia has stated very recently that if there is any direct attack on Russian forces that they will use tactical Nukes.
(hussein)moondancer @ 15:
Putin was laughing after their first meeting. "I looked into his soul" - Bush got played so hard; epically out-politicked in record time. Our man-child idiot of a president is the laughing stock of the world.
Glad to see Condi taking a break from her shoe shopping.
We need footage of Uberman and Graham cracker getting off the plane in Tbilisi and the Georgians telling them "Sorry guys. It's already over."
The Administration has finally bottomed. They have proven inept at policy making, negotiation, diplomacy, domestic disaster management...and now they have proven once and for all they are inept war mongers.
Embarrassing. Condi should be embarrassed. WE should be embarrassed at having to be associated with this collection of narcissistic, ignorant pinheads.
Oh...but they do get an "A" in fear mongering. I'll give them that.
I thought McCain was the savior of georgia?
Here's how influential Senator John McCain sees the French.
As President Bush prepared to pull the trigger on the Iraq war in February 2003, John McCain was at the forefront of those browbeating France for its refusal to back the U.S. at the United Nations. On February 10, 2003, McCain declared on MSNBC's Hardball:
Eights days later, Australian Broadcasting Corporation's Lateline program highlighted McCain's antipathy towards France:
McCain tried to have some fun with Obama's adventure in Europe.
First offered a less-than-neutral assessment of his nation's preference in the November U.S. election:
and then only to end up sounding like the candidate scorned:
No one's paying attention to Condi other than MSM outlets. It's all just posing.
Putin and his posse are as happy as kids in a candy store these days.
This situation is so sad -- Bush has a lot to answer for. But what I have never understood is all the love and admiration for the useless Dr. Rice. I expect she's a good scholar, maybe fine in academic administration, but the persistent asking if she'll be McCain's vice president -- why? What has she done that is good? As NSA, she wasn't strong enough to stand up to Rumsfeld. Why is she perceived as a strong leader/stateswoman? Pathetic, more like.
The Six Point deal does not, as Condi states:
"require the immediate withdrawal of Russian troops from the disputed territories."
Check out Point #5.
#1-no use of force;
#2- cease hostilities;
#3- open humanitarian corridors in the conflict areas;
#4- Georgian and Russian troops withdraw to their pre-war positions.
#5- Allows the Russians to act in what was termed a peacekeeping role, even outside the boundaries of the separatist enclaves where the war began, with an understanding that later an international agreement might obviate this need.
#6- A UN mandate for a referendum in the disputed enclaves to decide their future.
nick @ 22:
That statement is for the benefit of the Europeans. The so-called missile defense shield which is being deployed in Europe MAY provide a degree of protection for us, but it does little for the Europeans.
It is totally ineffective against nuclear armed cruise missiles which fly at an alititude to low to pick up effectively on radar, and too fast to intercept.
How far is Georgia from US mainland?, thousands of miles away.
How close Russia is to Georgia?, it is in Russia's backyard.
Case closed
Jimbo:
Regarding #4 - I can hear the laughing in the Kremlin from here.
Pathetic bitch.
Nice to see her, in all her shame, out in the spotlight making announcements for tony snow now.
What a dismal disappointment of a sex of state. Ugh. How low we have come.
Liberal AND Proud @ 4:
Does this mean Bill O'Reilly has to boycott himself?
john j @ 27:
John McCain: I hate the gooks, I hate the French, I hate Californians.
Who the hell asked HER to stick her fork in?
Saakashvili is a little hitler, who started a war, carried out acts of genocide and got his ass kicked. Then suddenly its USA to the rescue to shelter him just because Saakashvili gets up on tv and uses words like "freedom" and "American values".
I don't know who i'm more sickened with, the media or the administration.
"Mr. President as President Bush noted in his statement a couple of days ago, uh he has sent me here to show the solidarity of the United States with Georgia and its people in this moment of crisis. We support Georgia’s sovereignty. We support its independence. We support its territorial integrity. We support its democracy and its democratically elected government." But you have to be crazy to think we'd send troops which we don't have to rescue oil from we don't use!
OK that last sentence was mine but Condi could've used it if she wanted to!
Too bad she wasn't talking about Iraq.
How about in Georgia we put up a lot of walls like they did in Iraq?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oiJElPRnz54
Gary @ 38:
You're giving Saakashvili way too much credit. He isn't half as smart as Hitler. Saakashvili is a tool. I'm sure he was cryin' like a little girl for this peace agreement. Once he saw that Bush had double crossed him, he knew that if he didn't sign, the Russians would walk into his office and he'd wind up on the end of a rope.
Gary @ 38:
The thing to be sickened with is unbridled capitalism.
Dump Georgia as an ally. It's our only rational option. What good does it do to make Cold War II a reality now?
Besides, if this is payback for Russia wanting to replay 1962 the way they tried to a couple of months ago, we got the message from the Russians and should learn to be a little more...calm about Russian imperialism. Russia won't show us much love anyhow, but needlessly blustering like this is a bad idea all around.
CafeenMan @ 3:
Actually, war is for oil pipelines. The giant French oil company Total has a huge stake at what happens in Georgia.
If anybody's read The Long Emergency, they know this crisis is just beginning.
As Gilbert and Sullivan said, "Things are seldom what they seem."
This skirmish that has already killed and displaced hundreds of people was set into motion to make McCain look presidential. There won't be any peace until McCain's buddies Lieberman and Gramm show up and then McCain can travel around the country and say he was the one that brought peace to the world. McCain and the neocons are willing to start a war to win an election. They are all serial killers.
Ya limp-wristed frogs! Quit gittin' in th' way a perfickly good war!
1970cs @ 45:
As do our oil people--and our speculators/traders.
LIke the article said yesterday:
"Rice has all the qualifications to be an excellent Sec. of State in the Ford administration ..."
Liberal AND Proud @ 13:
ysbaddaden @ 10:
The Chimp really thinks that this is important so he delayed clearing the brush in Crawford for a day or an hour, I'm not sure which. I think on it now; no brush in Crawford is safe from the Weed Whacker!
Randy @ 32:
Remember, Russia tried putting nuclear bombers in Cuba...again a few months ago. That's our backyard.
Even so...attacking like this around the Olympics is bad form.
Bonkers @ 48:
Yeah! Buncha rifle droppin cheese eatin surrender monkeys! How DARE they use "diplomacy"!
Yeah - and it's time for the criminal shenanigans of the Bush Administration to be "over" as well!
It's also time for this irrelevant shoe-shopping maniac to hit the road! Americans are sick of seeing her face and hearing the "whole lotta nothing" which she spews. She's another Bush embarrassment.
RobertD @ 49:
The pipeline opened 3 weeks ago ...
Rove was there 2 weeks ago ...
Russia responded 1 week ago ...
America will need a new 'War President' in ___ weeks ? ...
Gooooooooooooooooooooood Luck with that America !!!!!!
Taking credit for someone else's hard work, then excreting useless platitudes. All in a day's work, Condi, you deserve a shopping spree.
General_Rennenkampf @ 44:
Georgia is not an ally. They are nothing to us. They are not part of NATO. They are not part of the G8. They're nothing. The neocons are trying to encircle Russia with the anti missile system. If the same thing happened to us, GWB would be firing missiles at EVERYONE.
We are a rogue nation acting as if we can do anything we want. The nut-o-cons are drawing a line and betting that no one will cross it. They won't be happy...or maybe they will...until a tactical nuke is launched and the world is dragged into the war of their wet dreams.
The shrub is "clearing the brush" at Crawford? And Americans are "clearing the rubbish of shrubs" right now.
After his disgraceful antics at the Olympics (what was he drinking?) americans are just holding their breath until this a$$clown is gone from public office. It can't come a moment too soon!
OBAMA 08!
Liberal AND Proud @ 42:
If Saakashvili thought Neocons were honorable people then he is truly dumber than a rock. I guess he figured out now who they really are--selfish, sociopathic users. And BTW Condi, nice try to get your worthless .02 in after others did the heavy lifting.
You can always count on Condi for a good photop.
The president of Georgia came off as a total drama queen in the appearance he and Condi made together. The dude has issues and he's a terrible actor.
Liberal AND Proud @ 57:
Georgia also cannot issue passports ...which is why a lot of the S Ossetians have Russian passports ergo are "russian" citizens ...
RobertD @ 49:
In addition to the Queen and Royal Dutch Shell and BP. I thought I would start slow before it wen't to the Freedom Fries argument.
"Truce" "Crisis". Maybe she should point to comments to Iraq. Oh wait, the Administration and the Media have forgot about that war.
Lets take care of our own wars and then we can help negotiate other countries wars.
Does anyone else see the overt hypocrisy of Bush discussing "attacking sovereign nations"?? Hello, Mr. Bubble Man!! Ever hear of that sovereign nation called "Iraq"?? Or perhaps your serious mental incapacity disallows you to recall the fact that we invaded this sovereign nation?? In fact, we invaded this sovereign nation based on lies - your lies, Mr. Shrub which translates now into "war crimes" against you and your cadre of criminals. Burn, baby, burn - coming to a theatre near you in 09! Bush, Rove, Cheney, Rice, and the entire crop of fascist neonazis who call themselves the PNAC - pop the popcorn and watch their sorry butts get shipped to jail. Or maybe we should just rendition the entire sorry lot of them?
First bush is preaching to China about human rights and now he's preaching to Russia about invading other countries. Doesn't he hear how hypocritical he sounds
Have we sent out anybody yet to whine about how they're violating the Geneva Conventions, and denying fair trials, and torturing prisoners, etc? How about if we accuse them of using faked documents to drum up support for the invasion?
earl @ 62:
1) U.S. openly supplies assistance to Georgia, claiming that it is in the interest of our nation to support freedom.
2) Russia stops all Russian petroleum exports to the West. Signs "security agreements" with Syria and Iran.
3) Russia deploys Navy into the Strait of Hormuz for what it initially says are "war games". Global concern that the proximity of so many Russian and U.S. vessels in close proximity in the Gulf could accidentally create an "incident".
4) U.S. deploys 4th carrier group to Straits. Rescinds all leave for soldiers based in the Middle East. Unsubstantiated reports of troops being redeployed from Germany to Jordan.
Anyone like THAT scenario. Anyone want to take it to the logical conclusion.
earl @ 55:
Point taken. I don't think it'll be promoted as a need for a "war president" as readily as it will an "oil president," though. We've already got the former, and it isn't such a popular item just now. Getting the oil is going to be the issue.
pissed off patricia @ 66:
No, hypocrites, like racists, never hear how they sound to others.
Condi's talking like she is the one calling off the dogs when it is actually the peace deal France came up with that is getting the Russians out.
Bushco is such a joke.
RobertD @ 49:
Some of our capitalists will take a hit, but mostly it will be the public in Europe and GB. Clearly a time to let the europeans take the lead. Unless you're a PNACer. Or a zionist. Or a member of the MIC.
Is that redundant?
Anything Condi or George or Dick or "name your neocon" has to say about the invasion of a sovereign nation and any diplomacy for such is and probably should be met with- Oh! For shits sake! Shut the hell up and while you're at it, fuck off!
1e47Kansaskowboy @ 71:
And we thought this Administration made us look foolish BEFORE.
Heh. What a pathetic display. And then we got grandpa ranting and raving as if the grandchildren are making to much noise during his nap.
Liberal AND Proud @ 31:
"It is totally ineffective against nuclear armed cruise missiles" True. Its also just totally ineffective period. In virtually every test I've read about they fail to hit their target and knock the missile out in flight. These are tests where its known in advance exactly when and where the missile will be fired from. Hardly a realistic test.
surfjac @ 51:
Pickles?
MikeD @ 75:
Understood. The point is that you can't even make the CLAIM of being able to stop a cruise missile.
Liberal AND Proud @ 68:
Why would Russia do this now? This is how the Cold War worked, people! We encircled Russia to break its economic and military potential. All Bush has done has been to push that further.
Liberal AND Proud @ 57:
In the first place, Georgia is an ally of the current administration, for the very reason you suggested, encircling Russia. They were in negotiations to join NATO and the EU. This sucks, but it's only a much closer, and expanded version of Cold War "containment" which was a euphemism for encircling the So