Date: 08/11/08

U.S.: Big Powers Urge Russia to Accept Truce

By MATTHEW LEE
Associated Press Writer

WASHINGTON (AP) The world's seven largest economic powers on Monday urged Russia to accept an immediate cease-fire with Georgia and agree to international mediation over the growing crisis in Georgia's separatist areas that is verging on all-out war.

Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and her colleagues from the Group of Seven leading industrialized nations spoke by telephone and pledged their support for a negotiated solution to the conflict that has been raging since Friday between the former Soviet state and Russia, a State Department official said.

Rice and the foreign ministers of Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy and Japan called on Russia to respect Georgia's borders and expressed deep concern for civilian casualties that have occurred, the official said.

Georgia had already signed a cease-fire agreement and "called on Russia to accept an immediate cease-fire," according to the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because the call had not yet been formally announced.

The ministers gave their backing to mediation efforts led by French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner, whose country currently holds the rotating presidency of the European Union, and Finnish Foreign Minister Alexander Stubb, whose country now holds the chair of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe.

The call came as swarms of Russian jets launched new raids on Georgian territory and Georgia faced the threat of a second front of fighting as Russia demanded that Georgia disarm troops near the breakaway province of Abkhazia.

The Group of Seven, or G7, is often expanded into what is known as the G8, a grouping that includes Russia, but Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov was notably not included in the call.

The State Department said over the weekend that families of diplomats in Georgia could leave but that diplomats would remain.

The United States is widening its rhetorical campaign to get Russia to halt its retaliation against Georgia for trying to take control of the breakaway province of South Ossetia. The conflict began there on Thursday when Georgia tried to regain control of the breakaway region. The United States recognizes it as part of Georgia but it has been under de facto Russian control for years.

In an interview with NBC Sports, Bush criticized the violence, calling it unacceptable and Russia's response disproportionate.

"I've expressed my grave concern about the disproportionate response of Russia and that we strongly condemn the bombing outside of South Ossetia," Bush said in Beijing, where he is attending the Olympic Games.

Bush said he made the point directly to Prime Minister Vladimir Putin before the opening ceremonies Friday — Putin left China the next day — and by phone to Russian President Dmitri Medvedev.

"I was very firm with Vladimir Putin," Bush said. "Hopefully this will get resolved peacefully."

Vice President Dick Cheney told Georgia's pro-American president that "Russian aggression must not go unanswered, and that its continuation would have serious consequences for its relations with the United States," Cheney's office reported Sunday.

"The vice president expressed the United States' solidarity with the Georgian people and their democratically elected government in the face of this threat to Georgia's sovereignty and territorial integrity," Cheney press secretary Lee Ann McBride said.

Asked to explain Cheney's phrase "must not go unanswered," White House spokesman Gordon Johndroe said, "It means it must not stand." White House officials refused to indicate what recourse the United States might have if the attacks continue.