Tit for Tat.... it's getting more serious by the day!
Russians halt Nato co-operation
Russia has told Nato it is halting all military co-operation, the bloc says, as the crisis over Georgia deepens.
The Russian move follows a statement by Nato that there would be no "business as usual" with Moscow unless its troops pulled out of Georgia.
However, the alliance had stopped short of freezing co-operation with Moscow.
Meanwhile, a top Russian general said that the withdrawal of the bulk of Russia's troops would be complete in about 10 days.
Moscow has said it intends to keep some 500 troops in what it called a "zone of responsibility" as part of a peacekeeping mission.
In a separate development, South Ossetia and Abkhazia - another Georgia's breakaway region - held mass rallies calling for independence.
Speaking to reporters in the Russian Black Sea resort of Sochi, Mr Lavrov said Russia was not going "shut any doors" to future co-operation with Nato.
But he warned that the alliance had to decide what was more important to it - supporting Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili or developing a partnership with Russia.
"For all practical purposes, military-to-military co-operation had really already ended with the Russians," US National Security Council spokesman Gordon Johndroe said.
"Russia needs co-operation with Nato no more than Nato needs Russia"
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov
Read full text here: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/in_depth/7575332.stm
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So, Russia is pulling out as told. One point for the US!
Is nobody going to punish the Georgian President, who ordered the attack on civilians? Does he get away with it without condemnation from the West?
Russians halt Nato co-operation
Russia has told Nato it is halting all military co-operation, the bloc says, as the crisis over Georgia deepens.
The Russian move follows a statement by Nato that there would be no "business as usual" with Moscow unless its troops pulled out of Georgia.
However, the alliance had stopped short of freezing co-operation with Moscow.
Meanwhile, a top Russian general said that the withdrawal of the bulk of Russia's troops would be complete in about 10 days.
Moscow has said it intends to keep some 500 troops in what it called a "zone of responsibility" as part of a peacekeeping mission.
In a separate development, South Ossetia and Abkhazia - another Georgia's breakaway region - held mass rallies calling for independence.
Speaking to reporters in the Russian Black Sea resort of Sochi, Mr Lavrov said Russia was not going "shut any doors" to future co-operation with Nato.
But he warned that the alliance had to decide what was more important to it - supporting Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili or developing a partnership with Russia.
"For all practical purposes, military-to-military co-operation had really already ended with the Russians," US National Security Council spokesman Gordon Johndroe said.
"Russia needs co-operation with Nato no more than Nato needs Russia"
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov
Read full text here: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/in_depth/7575332.stm
--------------------------------------------------------
So, Russia is pulling out as told. One point for the US!
Is nobody going to punish the Georgian President, who ordered the attack on civilians? Does he get away with it without condemnation from the West?
