Cheney slams Russia for war against Georgia

TBILISI, Georgia (AP) – Demonstrating Washington’s commitment to beleaguered Georgia, U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney flew in Thursday and condemned Russia for what he called an “illegitimate, unilateral attempt” to redraw Georgia’s borders by force.

Speaking during a closely watched trip to this U.S.-allied South Caucasus nation, Cheney also assured Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili that the United States was “fully committed” to his country’s efforts to join NATO.

“Georgia will be in our alliance,” Cheney said.

One of the U.S. administration’s most hawkish figures and a longtime critic of Russia, Cheney was visiting three ex-Soviet republics that are nervous about Moscow’s intentions – Georgia, Azerbaijan and Ukraine.

His trip signaled to Moscow that the United States will continue to cultivate close ties with Georgia and its neighbors even after Russia showed it was not afraid to use its military against countries along its border.

“America will do its duty to work with the governments of Georgia and our other friends and allies to protect our common interests and to uphold our values,” Cheney said in a joint appearance with Saakashvili.

“Russia’s actions have cast grave doubts on Russia’s intentions and on its reliability as an international partner,” Cheney added.

He told Saakashvili that the United States was at Georgia’s side “as you work to overcome an invasion of your sovereign territory and an illegitimate, unilateral attempt to change your country’s borders by force, that has been universally condemned by the free world.”

On the eve of Cheney’s arrival, the White House announced a $1 billion commitment to help the small but strategically located nation recover from its war with Russia.

“The free world cannot allow the destiny of a small independent country to be determined by the aggression of a larger neighbor,” U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice told reporters in Washington.

In his remarks Thursday, Cheney also thanked Georgia for sending troops to Iraq. Georgia has been the third largest contributor of troops to the U.S.-led operation there.

“Now it is the responsibility of the free world to rally to the side of Georgia,” Cheney said

Saakashvili, meanwhile, said Georgia was committed to a peaceful resolution of its disputes with the breakaway regions of South Ossetia and Abkhazia. Russia, which has given military, political and financial support to the two areas, has recognized both as independent nations.

A day earlier in Azerbaijan, Cheney said Washington has “a deep and abiding interest” in the region’s stability. Georgia hosts a critical oil pipeline that brings 1 million barrels a day from the Caspian Sea shores to Turkey, and on to Western Europe.

Cheney planned to make the massive U.S. aid package a major highlight of his meetings in Tbilisi, but it will likely leave unanswered the question of potential U.S. aid to rebuild Georgia’s military.

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