Russia: U.S. Delivered Weapons to Georgia Under Cover of Humanitarian Aid
ROBERT WIELAARD
Associated Press
September 2, 2008
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Russia warned the West on Monday against supporting Georgia’s leadership, suggesting that the United States carried weapons as well as aid to the ex-Soviet republic and calling for an arms embargo until the Georgian government falls.
The remarks by Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and his spokesman came as European Union leaders delicately approached their relations with Russia, weighing how to punish Moscow for its invasion of Georgia without isolating the continent’s major energy supplier.
The latest Russian rhetoric was likely to anger the United States and Europe and enrage Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili, who has said Russia’s goal all along has been to remove him from power.
“If instead of choosing their national interests and the interests of the Georgian people, the United States and its allies choose the Saakashvili regime, this will be a mistake of truly historic proportions,” Lavrov said.
At the EU emergency summit talks, leader debated a draft statement condemning Russia for putting relations with the EU “at a crossroads” and urging it “not to isolate” itself from Europe.
It called Russia’s invasion of Georgia unacceptable and said the EU is ready to bolster ties with Georgia. There was, however, no mention of sanctions against Russia or of sending EU soldiers to Georgia.
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