Sec. Rice statement on Georgia

Secretary of State, Condoleezza Rice spoke to reporters after briefing President Bush on the ongoing diplomatic efforts to resolve the crises in Georgia.
She said that all parties must agree to a cease-fire, and all military operations need to stop. The US is for the territorial integrity and the sovereignty of Georgia and support the democratically elected Georgian government. (1:54)


Listen

Russian Ambassador: We'll Pull Troops From Georgia When Our "Conditions" Are Met

Russian ambassador to the United Nations, Mr. Vitaly Churkin, claimed that Russia will cease military activity when Georgia is ready to "accept our modest conditions." (5:23)
Listen

Georgian Ambassador Claims President Targeted By Russians

Mr. Irakli Alasania, Georgian Ambassador to the United Nations, claimed that Russia targeted Georgian president in air-strikes. Mr. Alasania also strongly urged the Security Council to stop the violence immediately, lest the UN suffer the fate of the League of Nations (2:27)
Listen

US Ambassador Khalilzad: "We cannot be indifferent to the brutality of these attacks"

United States ambassador to the United Nations, Zalmay Khalilzad, expressed a desire to retain positive relations with Russia, but stressed that the violence must stop. Mr. Khalilzad also stated that a draft resolution will circulate in the Security Council, and it's passage depends entirely on Russia (5:00)
Listen

Security Council President Briefs Press on Continuing Georgia Russia Violence

The President of the United Nations Security Council, Mr. Jan Grauls, discussed the status of the Security Council discussions on Russia / Georgia violence. (2:03)
Listen

French Ambassador Urges Diplomacy Between Georgia and Russia

French ambassador to the United Nations, Mr. Jean-Pierre Lacroix, pledged support of the European Union, but urged diplomacy. (4:04)
Listen

BREAKING: Passage of Georgia Resolution Dependent on Russia, Khalilzad Says

Listen to Audio Report as Security Council Reports on Georgia Russia Violence (3:01)





- Georgia called for the Security Council to take the situation very seriously, recalling the failed League of Nations should the Security Council fail to act
- France, president of the European Union, reiterated Europe's solidarity with Georgia, and called for an immediate stop to violence
- France called for territorial respect and attention to Georgia's sovereignty
- However, France stated repeatedly that the Security Council does not "act in a vacuum"
- France repeatedly called for diplomacy and reiterated that the Security Council is "not a place for conflict"
- Khalilzad, US ambassador to the UN, stated that the Security Council asked fundamental questions to Russia: intent to target civilians, intent to target Georgian president, intent to overthrow Georgia- As of yesterday, Khalilzad said, Russia had no reply
- Khalilzad stated that attacks have intensified and spread
- Khalilzad stated that the longer the attacks persist, the more damage done to US/Russia relations
- A resolution has been drafted, and according to Khalizad it's passage is entirely dependent on Russia
- US does not want to damage relations with Russia, but "we cannot be indifferent to the brutality of these attacks"
- Khalilzad continued, "we are united in our objective that Georgia must be restored"
- Russian Ambassador stated that two two states will love together as two sovereign entities, but questioned Georgia's ability to live with the breakaway province of South Ossetia
- Churkin "US Russia relations are not our responsibility"
- Russia denied targeting Georgian President
- At this time, Russia has refused to pull troops out from Georgia

Listen

President Bush statement on Georgia

President Bush speaks in the Rose Garden upon return from his trip to Asia.
He is deeply concern as Russia has invaded a sovereign neighboring state and threatens their democratically elected government. Bush states that such actions are unacceptable in the 21st century, and Russia needs to be true to its word and to act to end this crisis. (2:32)




Listen

Reports on Russia / Georgia - Dan Patterson Reports From the UN

Updated audio and video reports from the United Nations on the Georgia / Russia conflict.





Download Audio Report (3:10)

Click To Play

Listen

UN Aid Responds to Russia / Georgia Humanitarian Crisis

Various UN agencies are launching relief operations. In response to a request from Georgia, the World Food Program has launched a 10-day ration program designed to facilitate immediate relief to more than 2,000 displaced residents of the capitol Tbilisi. Relief efforts to people outside the capitol are underway, though they have been restricted by Russian bombing. The United Nations High Commissioner on Refugees is sending relief efforts in an attempt to stockpile aid, and is preparing for continued violence. 20,000 blankets and other essentials are being flown from the UN Commission on Refugees stockpile in Dubai tonight- the second flight is planned for Wednesday. These flights will contain enough relief supplies for 30,000 people. There are reports that up to 80% of the population of the town of Gori has fled. (1:08)
Listen

UN Security Council Reacts to Georgia / Russia Conflict

The Security Council met on Saturday and Sunday to discuss the situation in Georgia. The Under Secretary-General for Political Affairs, B Lynn Pascoe, has acknowledged that the UN had no first-hand information of the situation on the ground at that time. However Pascoe did state that the UN resident coordinator in Georgia has recommended that all UN personnel evacuate; at that moment, no international staff had actually left. The UN reports a military build-up in Abkhazia and bombings in the town of Gori, and as a result of the increased bombings, the UN has scaled down its operations to only essential functions. (0:55)
Listen

Secretary-General Responds to Military Conflict in Georgia

Late on Saturday night the Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon issued a statement on the current situation in Georgia, expressing his "alarm at the escalation of hostilities" between Georgia and Russia and voicing his concern that violence will spread beyond the South Ossetia zone of Georgia. He is particularly concerned about rising tensions in the Abkhazia region, urging "maximum restraint", as well as the safety and security of unarmed UN military observers. The Secretary-General is calling for an immediate halt to military actions, and urges both parties to work towards a peaceful settlement. (0:40)
Listen

Full Statement From Georgia Regarding Violence in Ossetia

At the UN Security Council today Mr. Irakli Alasania, Representative to the United Nations from Georgia, justified Georgia's recent attack on a Russian tank convoy in the South Ossetia region. "Georgia as an responsible state has the obligation to protect our population," said Mr. Alasania. He then challenged Russia to "sit down at the negotiating table." (4:54)
Listen

Georgia Expresses Desire For Diplomacy

Mr. Irakli Alasania expresses Georgian desire to have "direct contacts and negotiate" with Russia regarding the recent violence in South Ossetia. (0:19)
Listen

Full Statement from the Russian Federation Regarding Georgia

Full statement from Mr. Vitaly Churkin regarding the recent flare-up in violence between Georgia and Russia. (3:40)
Listen

Russia States Their "Diplomatic Goals" Regarding Georgia

Russia Responds to the United Nations Security Council's deliberations on Georgia. Permanent Representative of the Russian Federation, Vitaly Churkin, states that Russia's role regarding Georgia is "purely diplomatic and political." (0:19)

Listen

UN Security Council Holds Emergency Meetings on Georgia Violence

The United Nations is reporting that thousands of Georgian refugees are fleeing the area known as South Ossetia.  According to the UN, over two dozen people have been killed, and close to a thousand people have been forced to leave their homes.

The United Nations Security Council responded to the rapidly-changing situation in Georgia late last night.  The Council held emergency deliberations in response to Georgian aggression on Russian military convoys in the territory known as South Ossetia.  The Security Council created a draft statement, but it has as of yet not been adopted.

Georgia has expressed a strong independent spirit for more than two decades.  Fighting between Russian and Georgia broke out in 1991 over territorial disputes, and was sustained for 18 months.  A tentative cease-fire held until 2004, and intermittent periods of violence have flared up ever since.  The recent violence stems from claims by Georgia that a Russian tank convoy rolled through the Ossetia region, violating Georgia's sovereignty.  Russian President Dmitri Medvedev has called the Georgia's attacks as a "deep violation of international law."

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has expressed his concern about the violence.  According to the Spokesperson For the Secretary-General, the SG is currently being briefed on the situation in full.  Both Barack Obama and John McCain have called for the Russians to use restraint.  The Security Council will resume talks about Georgia this afternoon.

Listen to the Spokesperson For the Secretary-General Briefing on Georgia. (1:43)
Listen

Iran not to be trusted

Representative Dan Burton (R-Ind.) says he does not trust Iran and the promises of Russian President Vladimir Putin. He fears Russia will give nuclear technology to Iran which will allow Iran to build better nuclear missiles. (0:46)
Listen

Nuclear cooperation agreement a bad idea

Representative Edward Markey (D-Mass.) opposes the Agreement for Nuclear Cooperation at a hearing on the proposed U.S.-Russia agreement before the House Foreign Affairs Committee. (0:47)
Listen

Russia, China, and Iran “want to steal our secrets”

FBI Director Robert Mueller says there are “a number of countries out there” that pose a risk to the FBI’s counterintelligence capacity. He cites Russia, China, and Iran as countries that want to “steal our secrets” but “hesitates to identify one as more of a threat.” (0:27)
Listen