BBC: Georgia and Russia agree on truce

BBC ^ | Tuesday, 12 August 2008 23:12 UK 22:12 GMT, | BBC Staff

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

Georgia and Russia agree on truce

Russian troops have pulled back through Abkhazia

Russia and Georgia have agreed a truce brokered by French President Nicolas Sarkozy, and have approved the principles of a full peace plan.

The exact details of the proposals appeared to be still under discussion.

Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili suggested some details agreed by Russia were unacceptable and said the document needed fleshing out.

Earlier, Russia announced its military activity in the area was completed and witnesses saw troops pulling out.

But despite the diplomacy and apparent withdrawal, rhetoric on both sides remained fiery and analysts were predicting a long road to peace.

See map of the region

Fighting flared last Thursday night when Georgia sent its army to regain control of South Ossetia - a region nominally part of Georgia, but with de facto independence and where a majority of people hold Russian passports.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

SIX-POINT PEACE PLAN

No more use of force

Stop all military actions for good

Free access to humanitarian aid

Georgian troops return to their places of permanent deployment

Russian troops return to pre-conflict positions

International talks about future status of South Ossetia and Abkhazia

[the invisib1e hand]

Georgia and Russia agree on truce

which, being translated, means, "we have forced Georgia to accept peace."

[MarMema]

Oh I think the Georgians have had it. They are deeply saddened that they felt abandoned by both the international community and their own leadership.
And now they have an even more difficult road ahead of them to try to rebuild their previously hard-won tourist industry.
Remember they are only reacting to what they have been told and seen on local television. They may not be capable of understanding what Bush was doing off-camera on their behalf.

[dila813]

I predict this is a ruse, prepare for Georgia to be crushed.

The Russians will say on the initial refusal of Georgia to their terms, we tried and they didn’t want peace.

After all, this is the Russian way.

If anyone thinks this is over, you will be sorely mistaken.

Think about it, how can they allow outsiders to pick over their actions in Georgia, there is too much terrible evidence.

Raping Women, etc.. Georgia is done. They are using this to reduce the resistance as much as possible on their way to the capital.

You wait, they will have the President of Georgia in Moscow within a month if he doesn’t commit suicide. And if you think he is going to the US Embassy, the Russians are making sure he doesn’t get there.

If I was them, get ready to defend yourself rather than patting yourselves on the back.

The Russians are quietly laughing to themselves.

I hate them.

[Bringbackthedraft]

“Russia and Georgia have agreed a truce brokered by French President Nicolas Sarkozy” ....................... Ah, but was this before or after Obama convinced Russia to stop? Rhetorical,sarc/

[mefistofelerevised]

the french president has done some good international stuff. This is a big plus, although the article didn’t give much detail.

[the invisib1e hand]

Please. Reports said “hundreds of thousands fled.” I don’t know those reports were accurate. But if they were, it really doesn’t sound heroic to me.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

CSPAN is showing the News Conference with Sarkozy and Russian Medeved....

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

Cspan is showing a news conference with questions in Moscow.

[MarMema]

I am clueless as to what you meant in your post to me.

[bruinbirdman]

"SIX-POINT PEACE PLAN "

I've seen these six before. Don't put much credence in them. Perhaps, they are not even preliminary talking points. Look like Georgia's, BBC, wish list.

Commies will not be this easy.

yitbos

[Forward the Light Brigade]

Our president should have brokered this deal—not the president of France. He should have been the one to go to Moscow. Where is the leadership?

[El Gato]

I predict this is a ruse, prepare for Georgia to be crushed. The Russians will say on the initial refusal of Georgia to their terms, we tried and they didn’t want peace. After all, this is the Russian way.

There's historical precedent for such a move as well.

When the German army first moved into Czechoslovakia, in October 1938, under a treaty, brokered between Hitler, Chamberlain, Daladier (France who had a defense pact with the Czechs, which they were not willing to honor), they only moved into the so called "Sudetenland", where a majority of the population were supposedly ethnic Germans (even if those "Germans" wanted nothing to do with Hitler). Then in March of 1939, the Germans occupied the rest of Czechoslavakia (save what was by then already occupied by their allies the Hungarians, a distinction without a difference for the Czechs).

So I expect you are right, this is a just a pause, a sitzkrieg of sorts.

[mefistofelerevised]

He has box seats at the Olympics, and a cigar.