Georgia"s parliament approves martial law
Georgia"s parliament has approved a presidential decree introducing martial law for 15 days in the country, reports reaching here from Tbilisi said Saturday.
President Mikhail Saakashvili signed the decree introducing martial law earlier on Saturday. Medvedev: Withdrawal of Georgian troops is unique way to settle crisis in South Ossetia
The withdrawal of Georgian troops from the conflict zone of Georgia and its breakaway region of South Ossetia is the only way to settle the "tragic crisis", Russian President Dmitry Medvedev told his U.S. counterpart George W. Bush in a telephone conversation on Saturday.
Abkhazia launches operation to force Georgian troops out Abkhazia"s armed forces have begun an operation to force Georgian troops out of the upper part of theKodori gorge, the Itar-Tass news agency quoted foreign minister ofthe self-proclaimed republic Sergei Shamba as saying Saturday.
Abkhazia"s artillery and air force carried out strikes against Georgian troops in the gorge, the report said. In a separate report of the Interfax news agency, Abkhaz leaderSergei Bagapsh confirmed its "aviation is currently conducting an operation in the upper part of the Kodori gorge of Abkhazia controlled by Georgia." He added that the operation will continue.
The regions of South Ossetia and Abkhazia broke away from Georgia in the 1990s following the collapse of the former Soviet Union. But their self-proclaimed independence is not internationally recognized. Prospect remains dim to solve South Ossetia conflict
The escalating clashes in South Ossetia, a breakaway region of Georgia, have threatened to ignite a wider war in the delicate Caucasus region despite international calls for a ceasefire.
As Russia vowed to expand military operation into the region to "protect its citizens," and Georgia, backed by the United States, refused to back down on its territorial integrity, the prospect of ending the conflict anytime soon remains dim.
ESCALATING CONFLICTS
The Russian army on Saturday reportedly took full control of the South Ossetia"s capital Tskhinvali from Georgian forces, raising stakes in the fighting which erupted late on Thursday night and has reportedly left 1,400 people dead.
"Tactical groups have completely liberated Tskhinvali from the Georgian military," General Vladimir Boldyrev, the head of the Russian ground forces, was quoted as saying by the Russian news agencies.
Earlier in the day, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said that the country"s troops have started a military operation in South Ossetia to force Georgian troops to cease fire.
Russia on Friday dispatched an armored column into South Ossetia after Georgia allegedly launched a massive attack to crush separatists.
Russia said it had to act to protect its civilians in the region, where most residents hold Russian passports. Georgia, which blamed the rebels for provoking the fight, accused Russia of launching air attacks on its military bases and key facilities for shipping oil to the West.
Meanwhile, the U.S. State Department called in Russian Charge d"Affaires Alexander Darchiyev to urge Moscow to pull its troops out of the region as the UN Security Council have failed to agree on a resolution to end the conflicts.
"We deplore today"s Russian attacks by strategic bombers and missiles, which are threatening civilian lives," State Department spokesman Robert Wood said. "These attacks mark a dangerous and disproportionate escalation of tension," he said.
GEORGIA"S NATO ENTRY PLANS THREATENED
South Ossetia broke away from Georgia without international recognition when the Soviet Union neared collapse in the early 1990s and has since become an enduring pain for Georgia, a country that is seeking better ties with the West.
The de facto independence of South Ossetia has even proved to be a blocking stone for Georgia"s ambition to join NATO, a move deplored by Moscow. NATO promised in April to eventually bring Georgia into the alliance without a specific timetable for fears that it would irritate Russia.
Former Russian President Vladimir Putin has called the expansion of NATO toward Russian frontiers a "direct threat."
The violent conflicts in South Ossetia could dash the country"s hopes to join the military alliance anytime soon as countries like Germany and France are already opposed to grant Georgia NATO membership for its bitter dispute with Russia, said experts. Still, Georgia, with its third largest contingent in Iraq, remains a staunch ally of the United States.
Georgia is a key part of the so-called "southern energy corridor" backed by the United States which has been seeking to connect the oil-rich Caspian Sea region with world markets. A key oil pipeline to Turkey runs about 100 km south of Tskhinvali, capital of South Ossetia.
DIM PROSPECT
As diplomatic efforts so far have failed, analysts fear that violence might spread in the region if the key party involved refuse to back down. Russian President Dmitry Medvedev justified Russia"s move as a response to Georgia"s attacks on Russian citizens and the Russian peacekeepers deployed in the region since the early 1990s.
Putin, who is in Beijing for the Olympics, even described the conflicts as "war." Sergei Mironov, who heads Russia"s upper house of parliament, was quoted by Interfax as saying that the fighting is "grounds" to consider South Ossetia"s appeal for international recognition, citing Kosovo as a precedent.
Meanwhile, Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili, for his part, called the Russia"s assault a "well-planned invasion," and pledged Georgia"s determination to protect its sovereignty and territory integrity, a move supported by the United States.
U.S. President George W. Bush, also in Beijing for the Olympics, said the United States would support Georgia"s territorial integrity, raising concerns that the issue could strain ties between Washington and Moscow.
A solution to the South Ossetia crisis would remain elusive until the United States and Russia find a way to compromise on the issue, analysts say. Georgia calls for ceasefire after Russian troops takes Tskhinvali Georgia"s President Mikhail Saakashvili called for an immediate ceasefire in the breakaway province of South Ossetia, reports reaching here from Tbilisi said on Saturday.
"We propose an immediate ceasefire and the beginning of the withdrawal of troops from the contact line," Saakashvili said at a news briefing. Saakashvili already offered South Ossetia a ceasefire earlier Friday, when he claimed to have taken the provincial capital Tskhinvali.
The Russian army on Saturday declared full control of Tskhinvali from Georgian forces, hours after Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said that the troops had started a military operation to force Georgian troops to cease fire.
After more than 10 of Russian peacekeepers in South Ossetia were killed amid a Georgian offensive, units of Russia"s 58th army left for the region to help its peacekeepers. Paratroopers from Russia"s Ivanovo, Moscow and Pskov airborne divisions have been sent to Tskhinvali, Medvedev said. While Saakashvili urged an immediate truce on Saturday, Georgia"s parliament approved a presidential decree imposing a 15-day martial law in the country.
The approval came after Saakashvili told a meeting of the National Security Council that he decided "to declare martial law in the country in connection with Russian aggression against Georgia." In another development on Saturday, U.S. President George W. Bush appealed for an end to the conflict while attending the Beijing Olympics. He warned of a dangerous escalation and the spread of attacks beyond the zone of conflict, saying the United States and its European allies will seek international mediation.
The long-standing conflict between Georgia and its breakaway region South Ossetia worsened on Aug. 1-2, when the South Ossetian authorities accused Georgian forces of shelling Tskhinvali. Tskhinvali suffered major destruction in the Georgian offensive that began early Friday.
Russia said 1,500 people have been killed in the violence, and 30,000 South Ossetians have fled across the border into Russia. South Ossetian leader Yury Morozov told Russian TV channel Vesti-24 that thousands of people have been injured, and many residents remain trapped under the rubble of bombed-out buildings, making it difficult to assess the number of fatalities.
South Ossetia, along with another breakaway republic Abkhazia, broke away from Georgia in the 1990s following the collapse of the Soviet Union. But their self-proclaimed independence has not been internationally recognized.
Georgian president to impose martial law Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili said Saturday that martial law will be imposed in the country. "I decided to declare martial law in the country in connection with Russian aggression against Georgia," he was quoted by Russia"s Itar-Tass news agency as saying at a meeting of the National Security Council.
A corresponding decree will be signed soon, he said. Russian troops take control of South Ossetian capital The Russian army on Saturday took full control of the capital of Georgia"s breakaway region of South Ossetia from Georgian forces, Russian news agencies quoted the head of the Russian ground forces as saying.
"Tactical groups have completely liberated Tskhinvali (capital of South Ossetia) from the Georgian military," General Vladimir Boldyrev was quoted as saying by the agencies.
The Russian army will further push Georgian units beyond the zone of peacekeepers" responsibility, according to Boldyrev. Tskhinvali suffered major destruction in the Georgian offensive that began early Friday. Russia said 1,500 people have been killed in the violence, and 30,000 South Ossetians have fled across the border into Russia.
South Ossetian leader Yury Morozov confirmed that the city is now under the control of Russian troops, but warned that the death toll may rise. He told Russian TV channel Vesti-24 that thousands of people have been injured, and that many residents remain trapped under the rubble of bombed-out buildings, making it difficult to assess the number of fatalities.
Earlier in the day, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said that the country"s troops have started a military operation in South Ossetia to force Georgian troops to cease fire, and paratroopers from Russia"s Ivanovo, Moscow and Pskov airborne divisions have been sent to Tskhinvali.
The long-standing conflict between Georgia and its rebel region South Ossetia worsened on Aug. 1-2, when the South Ossetian authorities accused Georgian forces of shelling Tskhinvali. South Ossetia, along with another breakaway republic Abkhazia, broke away from Georgia in the 1990s following the collapse of the Soviet Union.
But their self-proclaimed independence has not been internationally recognized. Russian paratroops enter South Ossetia Units of the Russian Airborne Forces have entered the region of South Ossetia, confirmed Russian Army Assistant Commander Col. Igor Konashenkov on Saturday.
"Units from the 76th Airborne Division from Pskov arrived in South Ossetia on board standard military vehicles early in the morning," Interfax news agency cited Konashenkov as saying.
Additional units of 76th Airborne Division and units of paratroopers from Ivanovo and the Moscow region will arrive there soon, he said, adding that tank and artillery units will be added to the airborne troops for reinforcement.
The arriving troops know the region well since more than once they participated in various maneuvers conducted by the Russian Defense Ministry, Konashenkov said. (Xinhua)
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