BRUSSELS, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- Russia's ambassador to
NATO Dmitry Rogozin warned Wednesday NATO against filling the gap of losses of
the Georgian military incurred in its conflict with Russia.
"Any attempt of NATO to fill the gap of losses of the
Georgian army contradicts the conventions of the OSCE (Organization of Security
and Cooperation in Europe)," Rogozin told reporters.
All NATO countries, Russia and Georgia are members of
the OSCE.
He said the provision of strategic armament to
Georgia and the flight of NATO reconnaissance planes along Russia's borders as
requested by Georgia are regarded as hostile actions to Russia.
He warned that these actions may make Russia change
its position on its relationship with the West, including military cooperation
and on Moscow's policy on Iran.
He said Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili's
"outrageous demands" must be rejected by the West as they are dangerous for the
whole world.
He added, however, that Moscow is not cutting off
ties with the West. Several cooperation activities have been called off. But the
total cancellation of the projects is not happening.
"The cooling down of the relationship should not lead
to complete freezing," he said.
He also asked Western politicians and diplomats to
tone down their rhetoric against Russia and begin talks.
"I would like the megaphone to be left aside and we
would proceed to calm and serious discussions of what is to be done to (begin)
the immediate peace building in the region," he said.
He again warned that Georgia's NATO membership is
dangerous for Europe as that may lead to direct conflict between NATO and
Russia.
Georgia launched attacks in South Ossetia on Aug. 7
in an attempt to regain control of the breakaway region. Tbilisi's move
triggered prompt reaction from Russia, whose troops drove Georgian forces out of
the region and took parts of Georgian territory.
The West is accusing Russia of being slow in troops
withdrawal which is provided for in a peace agreement. Russia has said the
pullout is to be completed by Friday.
STOCKHOLM, Aug. 20
(Xinhua) -- Norway confirmed on Wednesday that Russia would freeze its
cooperation with the Western alliance NATO, according to reports reaching here
from Oslo.
Russian authorities informed the Norwegian Foreign
Ministry on Wednesday that officials in Moscow were immediately halting,
canceling or postponing all planned military cooperation with NATO's members,
the Norwegian daily Aftenposten quoted government sources as saying. Full story
MOSCOW, Aug. 19 (Xinhua) -- Moscow will draw conclusions from NATO's
pro-Georgian stance, and the future of the Russia-NATO Council "depends on our
partners," Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Tuesday.
The Russia-NATO Council was not established to teach
Russia on how to behave towards Georgia, but to ensure security in Europe and
the Euro-Atlantic region, Lavrov said. Full story
BRUSSELS, Aug.
19 (Xinhua) -- Russia's ambassador to NATO warned the alliance on Tuesday
against allowing Georgia into NATO.
The Georgia-Russia conflict over South Ossetia would have
brought NATO into war with Russia if the alliance granted Georgia its membership
action plan at the NATO summit in April, said ambassador Dmitry Rogozin. Full story
KIEV, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko said on Wednesday she is unhappy with the current tension between Ukraine and Russia over Russia's Black Sea Fleet.
"Regarding tension between the Ukrainian authorities and the Black Sea Fleet, I'm strongly against that. I believe representatives for the Ukrainian authorities should behave properly so that Ukraine should not be drawn into military conflicts," she told a news briefing. Full story
