Tbilisi envoy on report into last year's Georgia-Russia war; Russia reax
(30 Sep 2009) 1. Salome Samadashvili, Georgian Ambassador to the European Union (EU), walking into press conference 2. Cutaway of journalists 3. SOUNDBITE: (English) Salome Samadashvili, Georgian Ambassador to the EU "The report confirms that regular armed Russian forces illegally crossed into Georgia before August 7th, 2009. The report also confirms that there was a campaign of ethic cleansing against the citizens of Georgian origin. The report importantly refutes each and every allegation of the Russian Federation which was given as a pretext for invasion of our country. I would like to remind you that on the day when the hostilities broke out - on August 7th - the Russians have claimed that Georgians have slaughtered 2,000 ethnic Ossetians. This allegation was proven to be outright lie by the report." 4. Cutaway of reporters 5. SOUNDBITE: (English) Salome Samadashvili, Georgian Ambassador to the EU "The report proves that Georgian civilians and Georgian peacekeepers were under attack on Georgian soil before August 7th and if any country had an obligation to protect its nationals, it was Georgia." 6. Wide shot of press conference 7. SOUNDBITE: (English) Salome Samadashvili, Georgian Ambassador to the EU "We regret that the Commission rejects the qualification of 'invasion' by Russian forces prior to August 8th. If the very detailed illegal presence in a sovereign country by the Russian troops, non-peacekeepers, in violation of all international agreement is not an invasion, then what is an invasion?" 8. Russian Ambassador to the EU, Vladimir Chizhov, shows the report to journalists 9. SOUNDBITE: (English) Vladimir Chizhov, Russian Ambassador to the EU "It provides an unequivocal confirmation of the main, unequivocal answer to the main question - who started the war? And it says squarely that it was the Georgian massive shelling and artillery attack on the city of Tskhinvali in the night of 7th to 8th August 2008." 10. Side shot of Chizhov talking to journalist 11. SOUNDBITE: (English) Vladimir Chizhov, Russian Ambassador to the EU "Of course it remains a debatable issue. What is a proportionate response; what is disproportionate response? Unfortunately international developments in various parts of the world have produced a lot of room for such discussions. Our conclusion, which is also my own, is that the Russian reaction was indeed quite proportionate, swift and to the point." 12. Cutaway of Chizhov STORYLINE: Georgia's attack on its breakaway South Ossetia region marked the start of last year's war with Russia, which retaliated with excessive force, an European Union-commissioned report said on Wednesday. The report on the five-day war in August 2008 lay blame on both sides, but cited Georgia as starting the conflict with its night shelling in South Ossetia - an act it said was not justifiable under international law. The report went on to blame Russia for conducting a military campaign deep inside Georgia. "All this cannot be regarded as even remotely commensurate with the threat to Russian peacekeepers in South Ossetia," the report said. Russia's retaliation went "far beyond the reasonable limits of defence," it said, criticising the devastating Russian assault on a tiny neighbour that in recent years has moved closer into the West with hopes of joining NATO. Both sides on Wednesday said the report vindicated them. She told reporters the report refuted "each and every allegation" given by the Russian Federation as a pretext for invasion. Chizhov said the report should encourage a rethink among "those leaders who have been hesitant" to blame Georgia for the war. Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork Twitter: / ap_archive Facebook: / aparchives Instagram: / apnews You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/you...
