UN Pushes Russia-Georgia Cease Fire

By Pamela Mortimer

The hostilities between Russia and Georgia continue to escalate despite all attempts at intervention by the United Nations Security Council and other interested parties. In addition to the U.N.’s continued efforts, France has stepped in and is trying to resolve the conflict via a six point plan designed to appease both sides.

The U.N. previously circulated a draft proposal requiring both sides to cease the conflict immediately and return to their respective corners. A main point of the proposal was to ensure that Georgia would be able to maintain its sovereignty. It also required that aid workers would be permitted entry into war torn areas to help those in need.

In a conversation with French President Nicolas Sarkozy on Tuesday, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev stated that Russian troops would withdraw from a significant portion of Georgia by Friday. Some of the troops will return to Russia, while others will be sent to South Ossetia and a nearby "security zone" established in 1999.

There is doubt that the Russian troops will disengage, however. A spokesman for the Pentagon stated that the troops were said to withdraw on Monday yet there seems to be little change throughout the Russian encampment.

"We don’t see much change in the forces that were there," said Pentagon official Bryan Whitman.

On Tuesday, Russian troops transported twenty Georgian soldiers to a major Black Sea port in western Georgia. The Georgians were blindfolded and held at gunpoint. According to Alan Middleton, CEO of Poti Sea Port, the Russian soldiers also commandeered a container holding U.S. military property, including one armored humvee and five regular military humvees. The container was awaiting transport back to the U.S.

Colonel General Anatoly Nogovitsyn, Deputy Head of Russia's General Staff, said the Russian forces intend to stay in Poti until a local government can be developed. Reports from port officials stated that while in Poti, the Russian troops have effectively destroyed boats, radar and other Coast Guard equipment.

Although the conflict between Russia and Georgia has been relatively brief, it has dramatically increased tensions between Russia and the West. Russian President Dmitry Medvedev has "icily defended Russia's actions."

"Anyone who tries anything like that will face a crushing response," he said in a statement on Monday.

In an effort to reduce conflict, Georgia and Russia exchanged twenty POWs on Tuesday. The exchange took place in Igoeti, a village located near the Georgian capital city of Tbilisi.

To date, it has been estimated that the conflict has displaced over 158,000 people.