From: Biniam Haile \(SWE\) (eritrea.lave@comhem.se)
Date: Sun Aug 10 2008 - 22:17:23 EDT
'US incited Georgia offensive in S. Ossetia'
Sun, 10 Aug 2008 20:57:00 GMT
The White House has orchestrated the current conflict between Russia and
Georgia in South Ossetia, a high-ranking Russian official says.
In a Friday press conference, Chairman of Russia's State Duma Security
Committee Vladimir Vasilyev said without US aid, Tbilisi would have been
unable to start military operation in South Ossetia.
Georgian military forces launched a large-scale military offensive
against South Ossetia on Thursday evening. Russia, in response, moved
its forces to the region.
The battles between Georgian and Russian forces have left at least 1500
people dead.
Vasilyev said the situation in South Ossetia draws parallels to the wars
in Iraq and Kosovo.
"The further the situation unfolds, the more the world will understand
that Georgia would never be able to do all this without America," the
Russian official added.
According to Vasilyev, the US State Department refused to comment on
reports by South Ossetian defense officials that Georgia was planning an
imminent aggression.
"In essence, the Americans have prepared the force, which destroys
everything in South Ossetia, attacks civilians and hospitals," he
expounded.
South Ossetia is officially a Georgian province but a large number of
its population of 70,000 possess Russian passports and have strong links
with North Ossetia, a Russian territory.
MD/HGH
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