News and Politics | August 11, 2008 | 13 comments

Cameron criticises 'bully' Russia

source: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/politics/7553508.stm

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petarro
David Cameron could not express more exactly how I feel about this incident.

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David Cameron has branded Russia "a massive and dangerous bully" and urged the international community to stand up and condemn its action in Georgia.

He also called for Georgia's membership of Nato to be "speeded up".

The Tory leader told the BBC: "The only language that bullies understand is when someone stands up to them."

British Foreign Office Minister Jim Murphy has described Russian military action against Georgia as "deplorable" and urged it to stop its attacks.

He said Georgia had offered a ceasefire, but was finding it difficult to disengage from Russian forces in the breakaway South Ossetia region.

'Disproportionate force'

UK nationals have been advised not to travel to Georgia and those in the country have been urged to leave.

As fighting over the disputed region of South Ossetia threatens to spread more widely, Mr Cameron argued that Britain should be working with its European and Nato partners to make clear that Russia's actions were "completely unacceptable".

"What Russia has done here is used massive and disproportionate force. It's breached international law and it has violated Georgia's territorial integrity," he said.

"It has acted as a massive and dangerous bully and we can't allow this to go ahead without it being challenged.

"I think Georgia should be able to join Nato and the timetable, if anything, should be accelerated. If Georgia was a member of Nato, then obviously we would have greater leverage over Georgia."

Mr Cameron conceded that Georgia's decision to send troops into South Ossetia "was a bad strategy" but he warned that there were "very, very worrying consequences" if Europe did not speak with one voice that what Russia is doing "is wrong".
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13 comments // Cameron criticises 'bully' Russia

  • petarro
    • 0
      petarro  

    • I agree. But surely first, Russia will have to overcome hundreds of issues before. Essentially the hatred they have for the whole "West" for "Freedom" and Capitalism.

    • 3 years ago
  • Vierotchka
  • Vierotchka
  • Vierotchka
    • 0
      Vierotchka  

    • If you had even the smallest smidgeon of knowledge of the history of Ossetia, you'd know that it is not really a part of Georgia - it was added to Georgia under the Soviet rule - including Southern Ossetia to Georgian territory was a communist idea and action. I thought you detested communists and all they did and do...

    • 3 years ago
  • petarro
  • Vierotchka
  • petarro
    • 0
      petarro  

    • South Ossetia IS part of Georgia. You cannot have two Governments in one Country.

      Russia had nothing to do with this until they provided these Ossetians a Russian Passport. Clearly, the door for any conflict.

      It is obvious that Russia is just interested in creating instability to stop Georgia to integrate to NATO.

      Do you actually believe Russia cares about a 70.000 people Region!? South Ossetia was a "gift" from Russia to Georgia years ago.

    • 3 years ago
  • brad62
  • petarro
  • brad62
  • toshiba
    • 0
      toshiba  

    • Hold on a minute. Georgia invaded Ossetia despite the peacekeepers and the ceasefire and Russia stepped in to kick them out. How is it okay for Georgia to take military action against Ossetia but it's not okay for a stronger neighbour to step in to defend them?

    • 3 years ago
  • huntre
  • petarro
    • 0
      petarro  

    • It is time indeed to accelerate the process of adding Georgia to NATO and adding peacekeeping troops in the affected zone.

    • 3 years ago
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