Washington - The United States will provide 1 billion
dollars in humanitarian aid to Georgia following the Russian invasion
of the former Soviet republic, while the International Monetary Fund
offered 750 million dollars in loans on Wednesday.
'Georgia's needs are great, especially its economic needs,' US
Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said Wednesday. 'The free world
cannot allow the destiny of a small independent country to be
determined by the aggression of a larger neighbour.'
The aid will help support ongoing humanitarian relief efforts and
reconstruction and buoy the economy. It is not military assistance,
Rice said.
Three US warships have arrived in Georgia since the conflict
erupted last month to deliver humanitarian supplies. The US Air Force
and Navy have been flying aid into the country.
The IMF said its own loan would fill the 'financing gap' as money
streams in from other donors and was designed to ease investor
concerns about the Georgian economy. The loan is expected to be
approved in mid-September by the IMF's executive board.
Rice reiterated US calls for Russia to comply with an August 11
ceasefire agreement brokered by French President Nicolas Sarkozy and
to withdraw its troops back into the disputed Georgian breakaway
provinces of South Ossetia and Abkhazia.
'It's high time that Russia meet its obligations to the
ceasefire,' Rice said.
South Ossetia was the source of the conflict that began August 6
when the Georgia government sent in troops to quell attacks by
separatists militias. Russia responded with a large military attack
deep into Georgia and fighting quickly spread to Abkhazia.
The Russian assault has brought relations with the West to the
lowest point since the end of the Cold War, and the United States and
European Union have said the Kremlin will face consequences.
'Frankly, Russia's done itself in on this,' Rice said.
The European Union has hinted at possible sanctions against
Russia, and the White House has said it is weighing whether to pull a
civilian nuclear cooperation agreement with Moscow from congressional
consideration.
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