| NATO plans to send forces to Georgian confict zone source says |
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08/08/2008 04:29 (759 Day 05:38 minutes ago) | |||||
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The FINANCIAL -- NATO is considering sending of its military forces to South Ossetia where clashes between rebels and Georgian governmental forces started early today, source close to Russian Defence Ministry informed The FINANCIAL. No official statement was made by NATO or Russia.
The NATO Secretary General, Jaap de Hoop Scheffer, said today he is seriously concerned about the events that are taking place in the Georgian region of South Ossetia and said that the Alliance is closely following the situation.
The Secretary General calls on all sides for an immediate end of the armed clashes and direct talks between the parties.
Ukraine said its ready to make its contribution into peaceful settlement of the situation in the region within frames of international diplomatic forces, the statement reads. Official statement was made by Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine . Georgia's ambassador to the United Nations, Irakli Alasania, said that "Russia has become a party to the conflict." He said Russia has supported separatists in South Ossetia, a charge Russia dismissed.
Three Russian warplanes attacked Gori, small Georgian city, situated 30 Km from conflict zone, Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia said. Local population said four attack aircraft breeched Georgian airspace at about 11:30am local time on August 8.
Georgia accuses Russia of arming the separatists who have been trying to break away since the civil war in the 1990s. MOSCOW denies the claim.
“We have time to evade mass bloodshed and new victims, among them peaceful civilians of the conflict zone of South Ossetia, Boris Malakhov, deputy official representative of the ministry stated in that regard.
According to him the Russian Federation will take pains in peace maintain in the region and will do its utmost to prevent farther escalation that will led to mass bloodshed in the conflict zone.
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