Cheney says Russia violated borders

Published September 10, 2008

ROME, Sept 9: US Vice-President Dick Cheney said here on Tuesday that the world is united in deploring Russia’s conduct in Georgia and that the former Soviet republic’s border has been “violated”.

“The international community is united in deploring Russia’s military action and in condemning its unilateral efforts to alter by force of arms Georgia’s internationally recognized boundaries,” Cheney said after talks with Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi.

Their meeting came a day after Russia pledged anew to withdraw troops from parts of Georgia but also planned to keep a hefty military presence in South Ossetia and Abkhazia and began formal diplomatic ties with the two breakaway areas.

“I spoke of the Georgian border which has been violated; Russia’s western border on the other hand has never been safer than it is today,” Cheney added.

“That safety is the result of success across Europe in building prosperous democracies, as nations are part of a translatlantic partnership, a community of values that is committed to peace and threatens no one.” Italy has aimed to mediate between its western allies and Russia in the wake of the conflict, which flared on Aug 8 when Russian troops entered Georgia to push back a Georgian offensive to retake the rebel enclave of South Ossetia.

Cheney arrived in Rome on Sunday after a tour of former Soviet republics Azerbaijan, Georgia and Ukraine.

Italy has urged the West not to isolate Russia while at the same time calling on Moscow to comply with a truce pact demanding a pullout of Russian troops deep inside Georgian territory.—AFP

Opinion

Editorial

Judiciary in the dock
Updated 22 Feb, 2025

Judiciary in the dock

Recent developments in SC and IHC certainly seem to have lent credibility to perception that judges perceived as a 'threat’ are being sidelined.
Paying taxes
22 Feb, 2025

Paying taxes

FINANCE Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb’s ‘hard talk’ at a retail business conference on Thursday was long ...
Rules for thee
22 Feb, 2025

Rules for thee

IT was a year ago when, in the tumultuous aftermath of the 2024 elections, the state banned X. Today, it remains...
Ukraine initiative
Updated 21 Feb, 2025

Ukraine initiative

Whether Trump’s Ukraine peace initiative succeeds or not, it will be difficult for Kyiv, Europe to face Russian military machine without US support.
High cost of SOEs
21 Feb, 2025

High cost of SOEs

THERE are losses and then some. The finance ministry’s latest overview of the federally owned state enterprises...
Poor impression
21 Feb, 2025

Poor impression

RECENT developments in the Senate have provided cause for concern on how parliamentary business is being conducted....