US: Russia not keeping its word on Georgia

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Updated: 2008-08-19 10:52

A Russian APC manoeuvers outside the flashpoint town of Gori. The world was still waiting Tuesday for proof of Russia's promised troop pullout from Georgia, as Tbilisi accused Moscow of "gravely violating" a ceasefire accord. [Agencies]

CRAWFORD, Texas - The United States accused Russia of not keeping its word to start withdrawing its forces from Georgia and vowed to look into charges of "ethnic cleansing" in the former Soviet republic.

US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, bound for crisis talks at NATO headquarters in Brussels, said Russian President Dmitry Medevdev had failed to fulfill his pull-out pledge under a France-brokered ceasefire plan.

"(I wonder) why the Russian president either will not or cannot keep his word," Rice told reporters on her airplane hours after the White House demanded that Moscow proceed with its withdrawal "without delay."

"The Russians have said that their withdrawal would start at midday today. We will continue to closely monitor Russian actions in Georgia for confirmation of the withdrawal," said spokesman Gordon Johndroe.

But hours later, a US defense official speaking on condition of anonymity said in Washington that US officials monitoring the situation "have not seen any significant Russian movement out of Georgia today."

US President George W. Bush, watching the crisis from his Texas ranch, stayed out of sight after ordering Rice to Europe to seek a common NATO position in support of Georgia and reaffirm US solidarity with its ally.

Johndroe also said Washington would investigate charges, most recently levelled by staunch Georgia allies Lithuania and Poland, that Russian troops were guilty of "ethnic cleansing" as part of their offensive.

"That's a serious charge and we take it seriously and are looking into the matter," Johndroe told reporters, citing "charges from both sides" and stressing: "It's clear this was an ugly conflict on the ground."

Russia made similar charges against Tbilisi shortly after the conflict flared up August 6 with a Georgian incursion into the region of South Ossetia and escalated with an all-out Russian offensive two days later.

Johndroe declined to confirm reports, denied by Moscow, that Russia had rolled short-range SS-21 missiles into Georgia, but said any troops or equipment that came in when the conflict flared up August 6 must leave under the ceasefire.

"Let me be clear: If it rolled in after August 6, it needs to roll out" under the terms of a French-brokered ceasefire pact, said Johndroe. "That would be in keeping with the Russian commitment on withdrawal."

The United States will help Georgia rebuild its battered infrastructure but also its security forces, said Johndroe, who declined to discuss possible US aid for specific military hardware like radar installations.

"I think it's premature to talk about any specifics of what that reconstruction effort might be. But there should be no doubt that the United States is committed to helping Georgia rebuild," he said.

In Brussels, Rice was to hold talks with key NATO allies as well as European Union heavyweights including French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner, EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana, and European Commissioner for External Relations Benita Fererro-Waldner, Rice's office said.

She was also to sign a key missile defense shield pact with Warsaw that greenlights the basing of US interceptor missiles on Polish territory -- a step that has drawn angry reactions from Russia.

Moscow is furious at Georgia's attempt to join NATO, and alliance foreign ministers will meet on Tuesday to show their support for Georgia. But they remain divided on how to deal with a resurgent Moscow, with some western leaders unwilling to see ties with oil-rich Russia deteriorate any further.

Rice said Washington would not try to speed up Georgia and Ukraine's path to membership in NATO, but said the alliance must make it clear to Moscow that it cannot prevent former Soviet countries from building closer ties with the West.