President Bush has announced “a humanitarian mission to the people of Georgia, headed by the United States military.”
“The United States of America stands with the democratically elected government of Georgia,” the President said in a statement. “We insist that the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Georgia be respected.
“In the days ahead we will use U.S. aircraft, as well as naval forces, to deliver humanitarian and medical supplies.”
A U.S. Air Force C-17 cargo jet carrying humanitarian supplies has already arrived in Georgia’s capital, Tbilisi.
“We expect Russia to honor its commitment to let in all forms of humanitarian assistance,” Bush said. “We expect Russia to ensure that all lines of communication and transport, including seaports, airports, roads, and airspace, remain open for the delivery of humanitarian assistance and for civilian transit.”
On August 7, following days of fire exchange with South Ossetian separatist units, Georgia launched an offensive against Tskhinvali, the capital of the region. The next day Russian forces entered Georgia and began to bomb targets in the country.
On August 10, the Russian Black Sea Fleet began a naval blockade of the Poti Georgian port and landed several thousand Russian troops in Abkhazia in western Georgia. Ukraine threatened to bar Russian warships dispatched to the Abkhazian coast from returning to their Ukrainian base of Sevastopol if they were to engage in any military action.
Yesterday, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev announced the end of Russian military operations in Georgia. In a statement, Medvedev declared that the reason for Russia to cease operations was the humanitarian crisis in the region.
A Kremlin spokesman has confirmed the instructions to the Defense Ministry to stop the military operation.
The news of the ceasefire came only hours before the presidents of Ukraine, Poland, and the Baltic nations of Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia, arrived for a pro-Georgian rally in Tbilisi.
