Pave: Uncondemnable VIII

Le jour 481 de Sarko

If I condemn, I can no longer hear both sides.

Bernard Kouchner,
French Foreign Minister, explaining why what is wrong
has equal standing with what is right
PARIS August 11, 2008 (M&C)

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SAAKASHVILI 'NO LONGER EXISTS'
AS GEORGIA'S PRESIDENT: MEDVEDEV

MOSCOW September 3, 2008 (AFP) - Speaking in an interview ahead of US Vice President Dick Cheney's visit to Georgia, Medvedev again accused Washington of helping Tbilisi "build its war machine" and urged the United States to review its relations with the country. Mr. Medvedev:

For us, the present Georgian regime has collapsed. President Saakashvili no longer exists in our eyes. He is a political corpse.

AMAZING RUSSO-VISION!
Strange Super Power Of Former Super Power Enables
Russian President NOT To See What Others See

Mr. Medvedev, of course, wishes here a collapse where no collapse exists.

RUSSIA ORDERS HALT TO ONSLAUGHT
AS GEORGIA RALLIES SUPPORT
MOSCOW August 12, 2008 (AFP)

THOUSANDS OF GEORGIANS RALLY
TO SUPPORT SAAKASHVILI
TBILISI August 12, 2008 (Reuters)

GEORGIA 'WILL JOIN NATO': MERKEL*
TBILISI August 17, 2008 (AFP)

PRESIDENT BUSH CONDEMNS ACTIONS TAKEN
BY RUSSIAN PRESIDENT IN REGARDS TO GEORGIA
WHITE HOUSE August 26, 2008 (Office of the Press Secretary)

CHENEY: GEORGIA WILL BE IN OUR ALLIANCE [scil., NATO]
TBILISI September 4, 2008 (CNN)

(See here for more damns for Russia and more support for Georgia.)

In a swift retort, Georgia's national security council secretary Alexander Lomaia told AFP:

It's utterly deplorable for the leader of a great country to use methods unacceptable in a civilised world to undermine the legitimacy of the Georgian government.

The Russian president has lost control, because his efforts to depose the Georgian government have failed.

The Georgian president is a democratically-elected leader, he and his government enjoy the support of the Georgian people and the international community.

The strong rhetoric came as [American Vice President] Cheney headed to Georgia in a show of support for the former Soviet republic that has been seeking to join NATO.

Medvedev's interview was broadcast after Moscow claimed victory Tuesday following a European Union emergency summit, [and this] where EU leaders stepped back from imposing sanctions over Russia's partial occupation of Georgia. Mr. Putin:

Thank God, common sense prevailed. We saw no extreme conclusions and proposals, and this is very good.

Mr. Medvedev:

But we would like the international community to remember who began the aggression and who is responsible for people's deaths.

Mr. Medvedev's problem is precisely that. The international community DOES remember who began the war and who is responsible for the subsequent deaths and wanton destruction:

Recent occurrences in Georgia, beginning with the military invasion by Russia, have been flatly contrary to some of our most deeply held beliefs. Russian forces crossed an internationally recognized border into a sovereign state; fueled and fomented an internal conflict; conducted acts of war without regard for innocent life, killing civilians and causing the displacement of tens of thousands -- all this against a nation that has a democratically elected government and an orientation towards the West.

The United States and many in Europe have made clear that Russia's actions are an affront to civilized standards and are completely unacceptable. For its part, Russia has offered no satisfactory justification for the invasion -- nor could it do so. Differing views on the status of these two areas, within the sovereign borders of the Georgian democracy, cannot justify a sudden and violent incursion by Russia. ...

Three weeks ago, after causing significant destruction inside Georgia, Russia accepted and signed a six-point ceasefire agreement proposed by President Sarkozy of France, the nation that holds the Presidency of the European Union. By now the Russian government is well aware of its responsibilities: To abide by the signed ceasefire agreement, and the clarifying letter and document from President Sarkozy; to let in all humanitarian and medical assistance from the United States and other countries; to keep open all lines of communication and transit for that assistance; to end all military activities in Georgia; to withdraw from that country; and to fully respect Georgia's sovereignty and territorial integrity.

Though aware of these responsibilities, Russia has yet to meet them. Indeed, it has taken the opposite course, by recognizing South Ossetia and Abkhazia as independent states. This only worsens the situation in the region. It also contravenes the ceasefire, and runs against numerous UN Security Council Resolutions that Russia itself voted for in the past.

To summarize: In the space of the last 30 days, Russia has violated the sovereignty of a democracy; made and then breached a solemn agreement, in a direct affront to the European Union; severely damaged its credibility and global standing; and undermined its own relations with the United States and other countries.

This chain of aggressive moves and diplomatic reversals has only intensified the concern that many have about Russia's larger objectives. For brutality against a neighbor is simply the latest in a succession of troublesome and unhelpful actions by the Russian government.

Dick Cheney,
Vice President of the United State,
remembering in detail
what Mr. Medvedev would have him forget
CERNOBBIO, Italy September 6, 2008 (Office of the Vice President)

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* Support all the more damning given the German Chancellor's position only five month's earlier:

MERKEL AGAINST NATO MEMBERSHIP
FOR GEORGIA, UKRAINE
BERLIN March 10, 2008 (Forbes/Thomson Financial/AFX)

PFFT (What is this?): Mr. Medvedev tears a page from the Noko comity of nations playbook 4½ | Lies like a Soviet 5

Posted by Damian at September 7, 2008 04:30 PM