Georgia says it is "very close" to war with Russia

Europe News

May 8, 2008, 13:58 GMT

Moscow/Tbilisi - President Mikhail Saakashvili said Thursday that Georgia had come 'very close' to war with Russia and the 'threat remained' for a breakout over its breakaway region of Abkhazia. 'If anyone wants to annex a part of Georgia, there will inevitably be consequences,' Saakashvili told Russian journalists, though he stressed a desire to return to diplomacy. Russia's military announced early Thursday that would increase its troops in Georgia's breakaway region of Abkhazia to counter Georgia's accumulating military forces in the contested region. 'All this is done for the sake of only one thing: preserving peace and avoiding bloodshed,' read a statement by the defence ministry. Frayed Georgian-Russian relations have long led to sparks in Abkhazia, the autonomy of which has been defended by Russian peacekeepers since a ceasefire ended a civil war in 1994. But Moscow and Tbilisi's growing inclination to resort to action over their differences have ignited concerns in the European Union and the United States that the standoff is 'close to war.' Russia's peacekeepers in Abkhazia will increase to 2,542 troops, under the maximum permitted of 3,000 as provided for by the UN ceasefire. 'The prolongation of the [peacekeepers'] mandate by the UN Security Council in April 2008 is a graphic confirmation of the need for a presence in the conflict zone,' the ministry's statement said. But Georgia's defence minister on Thursday denied his side had moved more troops to the border of the region. 'Georgia is not a country which went mad and decided to be engaged in a war with Russia,' Defence Minister David Kezerashvili said. 'Georgia does not build up anything and does not build up anything near the conflict zones. All our soldiers are staying at their bases,' he said. Tensions have escalated over Moscow's security objection over its post-Soviet neighbour's bid to join NATO last month. While Russia has long provided Abkhazia support and most citizens in the region hold Russian passports, Putin angered Tbilisi last month by announcing the start of formal diplomatic and economic ties with the Abkhaz government. Georgia decried the move as the 'de facto annexation' of its territory and called for international support. The United States on Thursday came down in favour of Georgia's pro-Western government. 'Obviously we're very concerned what Russia is doing in Georgia, in a series of actions which we have labelled and said are provocative,' said Stephen Hadley, a national security advisor to the US president. 'We think Russia needs to back down from those items,' Hadley said. The latest Russo-Georgian military accusations exploded when Tbilisi accused a Russian fighter jet of shooting down one of its spy planes over Abkhazia. Moscow denied involvement and said the flights broke UN regulations. Abkhaz rebels declared Thursday that they had shot down another Georgian drone over the region.

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What a joke!May 8th, 2008 - 17:28:57

Georgia and especially that little punk president of theirs got to be kidding.

One Russian battalion is enough to crush all of Georgia in 2 minutes.

Who is gone come to their aid?

US?

NO!

EU?

You got to be kidding!

NOBODY cares about Georgia.

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CharlesMay 8th, 2008 - 18:14:09

Please tell me why Russia supports muslim rebels in Abkhasia?!?

PS - I really like Russians, lived there for many years, and even married one - but I wouldn't over rate their military capabilities or leadership. Just look at what trouble the chechens have caused since early 90's.

Georgians - like most folks down in caucuses - can be extremely martial.

Historically, Russia usually gets asses handed to them by smaller, highly motivated militaries (remember finland?).

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???????????????????May 8th, 2008 - 18:26:08

Guerrilla warfare is hard to control. Problems such as this can only be solved on the diplomatic front.

Ask the US military who got its behind kicked in Vietnam (ask that republican presidential candidate with metal plates and screws holding his ugly face together). And.....now in Iraq.

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!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!May 8th, 2008 - 18:26:36

Or in Afghanistan.

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But country to country.............May 8th, 2008 - 18:29:59

Russian forced crushed the German bastards from the east which made it easier for the Americans to push in the west during WWII.

The Georgians, and their young president in particular, have a big mouth.

Georgia wouldn't be able to hold its ground for 2 minutes.

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The onlyMay 8th, 2008 - 20:54:15

The reason the Russians kicked the Germans around was because the American General 'George Patton' was going through them like crap through a goose.

We could use a couple of him now a days in the middle east, especially in regards to dealing with Iran and its proxys.

No left wing soft politicaly correct pandering, just do what you've got to do to WIN.

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theantibushMay 8th, 2008 - 23:14:46

The only wrote:
“The reason the Russians kicked the Germans around was because the American General 'George Patton' was going through them like crap through a goose.”

---------------------------------------------------------------

Patton never came anywhere near Russia, and the great armored commander could only listen in on intelligence reports concerning the greatest armored contest of all time going on in Kursk without him.

As for Georgia, the Russians should decidedly assist Abkhazia on a massive scale, and they will certainly do just that.

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George RobsonMay 9th, 2008 - 02:07:25

Yup
President Sackofshit has better watch his mouth,
Or one Battalian of the sons, of Zukov's great army will spank his pee pee pipe.
TO THE ABOVE POST,
How would you like to have been a scrap dealer in Kursk at the time?,I think that was the battle that stunned the the Germans.

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hmmMay 9th, 2008 - 11:39:52

Patton was held up due to political horse pooh.
The Germans were amazed at the true warrior and were on the run.
Again, a couple more Patton's is what we need NOW.

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