IRISH TIMES: Russia and key Western nations remained at odds last night over a UN resolution aimed at bringing peace to Georgia, with the US, France and Britain insisting on immediate withdrawal of Russian troops and a commitment to Georgia's territorial integrity, according to UN diplomats.
Russia put its draft resolution, which restates and endorses a six-point peace plan promoted by French president Nicolas Sarkozy and signed last week by Russia and Georgia, into a final form that can be put to a vote in the UN Security Council. But Russia's UN Ambassador Vitaly Churkin did not indicate when he would call for a vote.
"Our draft resolution is a reconfirmation of the six-point agreement, and there's no territorial integrity in the six principles," Mr Churkin said after a council meeting yesterday called by Russia. "We believe the six principles are clear and already implemented."
But the US and its European allies have criticised Russia for remaining in Georgia and performing military operations despite last week's cease-fire. The agreement says both Russian and Georgian forces must move back to positions they held before fighting broke out August 7th in Georgia's South Ossetia region, which has close ties to Russia.
The American, British and French envoys made clear yesterday that they won't accept a resolution that doesn't include clarifications of the six-point plan including an immediate Russian withdrawal and reaffirmation of Georgia's territorial integrity. Russia, West Remain at Odds on UN Resolution >>> | August 22, 2008
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