Wednesday, September 10, 2008

US vetoes Russian draft on Georgia

The United States of America has rejected Russia's proposal, made in a UN Security Council draft resolution, to impose an international ban on arms supplies to Georgia.

The Russian resolution was introduced at the UN Security Council on Tuesday. It indicated that all countries should take measures to prevent the direct or indirect supply, sale or transfer of arms to Georgia, as well as the provision of any assistance, consultations, or training related to military activities. However Ben Chang, a spokesman for the U.S. Mission to the United Nations, said: “We do not believe that this affirms the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Georgia which is for us the bottom line of any Security Council action on Georgia.

“We see this as an attempt by Russia to divert attention from the situation on the ground, specifically, that they have not lived up to their own obligations under the ceasefire to withdraw their forces from the territory of Georgia, and continue to block humanitarian access,” he added.

The US Department of Defense has announced that it is sending a special mission to Georgia to assess the country's military strength and what is needed to restore it.

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