UPDATED ON:
Wednesday, September 03, 2008
23:34 Mecca time, 20:34 GMT
 
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US to send $1bn in aid to Georgia

Gori in Georgia was repeatedly bombed by Russian warplanes during the conflict [EPA]

The United States has announced at least $1bn in aid to help its ally Georgia to rebuild after its conflict with Russia over the separatist enclave of South Ossetia last month.

Condoleezza Rice, the US secretary of state, said on Wednesday the package would help reconstruct Georgia's economy and infrastructure that was destroyed by the Russian military during the fighting.

"We have been determined to help Georgia to sustain itself during these difficult times," Rice said.

She said the funds were a significant contribution to Washington's long-term commitment to Georgia, which would "survive, rebuild and thrive".

Rice said that the package included no military aid and that it was not yet time to look at military assistance to Georgia.

The first tranche of $570m is set to be delivered by the end of 2008 and the rest by a new US administration that takes over in January 2009.

"We are also confident that the United States will keep a commitment that has strong bipartisan support for a second phase of support, an additional $430 million," said Rice.

She said Russia was not achieving its objectives through its actions in Georgia and that Georgian democracy was "thriving".

It was not immediately clear whether any of the package would require congressional approval.

But aid to rebuild Georgia already enjoys broad bipartisan support on Capitol Hill.

Cheney visit

Rice's announcement came as Dick Cheney, the US vice president, said during a visit to Azerbaijan on Wednesday that his country has a strong interest in the security of its allies in the region.

Cheney, centre, arrived in Baku ahead of visits to Georgia and Ukraine [AFP]
Speaking in Baku, the country's capital, Cheney said: "President Bush has sent me here with a clear and simple message for the people of Azerbaijan and the entire region: The United States has a deep and abiding interest in your well-being and security."

Cheney, whose trip comes in the shadow of the recent fighting between Russia and Georgia, is also due to visit Tbilisi, Georgia's capital, and Ukraine as part of a tour of the Caucasus.

The vice president said that the US believed it must work with Azerbaijan on increasing energy export routes out of the country.

He said: "The United States strongly believes that together with the nations of Europe, including Turkey, we must work with Azerbaijan and other countries in the Caucasus and Central Asia on additional routes for energy exports that ensure the free flow of resources."

Russian stranglehold

Azerbaijan, Georgia and Ukraine, which are all former Soviet republics, are increasingly wary of Russian intentions after its conflict last month with neighbouring Georgia

Azerbaijan pumps nearly one million barrels a day of high quality crude, equivalent to about one per cent of the world's oil supplies, through a BP-led pipeline that passes through Georgia and Turkey to Europe.

However, it has said that it is re-routing some of its production to a rival route through Russia, citing the conflict in Georgia as part of the reason.

Azerbaijan pumps nearly one million barrels a day of oil to Europe [EPA]

Ukraine and Georgia have both angered Moscow by seeking membership of the Nato military alliance.

Tbilisi, which was backed by the US during the fighting, has been weighing its next move in its relations with Russia which may include cancelling a lucrative civil nuclear deal.

Meanwhile, the US and the European Union are attempting to break Moscow's stranglehold on the transit of central Asian gas to Europe with the planned Nabucco pipeline which will pass around Russia's southern flank.

'Political corpse'

Cheney's visit to a region that Russia sees as its backyard has brought renewed attacks from the Kremlin.

Russia accuses Washington of helping to trigger the recent conflict by backing what it says is a pro-Western Georgian government bent on aggression.

Dmitry Medvedev, Russia's president, said it was time for the US to re-evaluate its policy of supporting Mikheil Saakashvili, Georgia's president.

Medvedev described the US-educated lawyer as a "political corpse" and said Moscow wanted nothing to do with him.

The president's remarks contrasted with the more conciliatory language he used about the EU, which on Monday threatened to suspend talks on a partnership pact but rejected sanctions on Russia, the bloc's biggest energy supplier.

 Source: Agencies
Feedback Number of comments : 16
 
Vera Gottlieb
Germany
04/09/2008
US to send $ 1bn in aid to Georgia
And this '1 billion dollars help' in the form of more military armament?

jACK
Russian Federation
04/09/2008
FOR WHAT??
That much money would feed many people. There are only 2 million people in Georgia, you do the math. This "tie chewing rodent" will do like in the past and spend 40% on new modern equipment for his Army, just to throw down and run away like the thieving cowards they are. USA how stupid are you? Soon the USA will see Russian ships and planes in Cuba and south America. Remember those days? I do What does Georgia have anyway, wine? no industry, no money system? Stay home USA,

Barry S.
United States
05/09/2008
From a USA Citizen
Coming from a USA citizen please know that a lot of Americans are fighting for change in our own government and that we mostly agree with what a lot of you are saying! Please also note that the majority of Americans are wonderful, loving, giving people! I understand that our government has made a number of poor choices and I hope that we as people can come together and fix the problems that face our world. Much Love, B. Stieb

D. L. GRAHAM
United States
03/09/2008
PREEMPTIVE IRAN ATTACK (PART TWO)
the arms and weaponry supplier, selling and exporting ($200M) two hundred million dollars or more in military equipment to the former Georgia Government, in offensive weapons, which included the sale by Israel of at least eight different models of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV's) and Israel also sought to export main battle tanks to Georgia. As Israeli Mossad Intelligence Agents and CIA worked together with the Pentagon in the operation of an important intelligence station in Tbilisi.

D. L. GRAHAM
United States
03/09/2008
PREEMPTIVE IRAN ATTACK (PART SIX)
Soviet Russia is expected to move forces into northern Iran after using its control of the former Soviet Republic of Georgian pipeline to compel the Azarbaijanis to permit them to cross their territory, into strategic Northwest Iranian territory, with gas pipeline into Turkey, and refinery at Tabriz. There are currently 4 million Kurds in Iran, concentrated in the western part of Iran, waiting to declare a Kurdish state, with Russian peacekeepers in place to protect the new formed Kurdish state

k.
Afghanistan
04/09/2008
$1bn is not fair market value for loss of South Ossetia and Abkhazia.

Fritz Schenk
United States
04/09/2008
Is the charge of Genocide appropriate
for the actions of the United States during the last 7 years destruction of life and culture.

K
Afghanistan
06/09/2008
US Aid to Georgia
Jake in Russia - Russia wants the oil in the Caucuses so they can blackmail Europe. They should get out of the 19th century. For 200 years they have tried to control Muslims in southern Europe. They committed genocide many times in the Caucuses and Crimea everywhere they have controlled people. 1990 SOVIET census shows 47% of Abkhazia were Georgians & only 17% Abkhazian. Putin decides who can run for office. We do have governments in Western hemisphere we don't like but don't invade!!

mike
Afghanistan
08/09/2008
wasting a billion dollars
This is a European affair. We need to stay out of it!Our poor have no health care!Our thirst for oil is bogus what about reperations from Iraq who have the 4th largest oil reserves in the world.How do you lose 110billion barrellels of oil ? The oil we are recieving has been purchased long ago,when its gone the we:ll see knew oil. WE need to be independent of foreign oil and renewable ,clean energy in its place.

umit altay
Turkey
04/09/2008
US to send $1bn in aid to Georgia
The USA fooled georgia to attack the seperatists just so it could justify the antiballistic missile ramp in poland but there's a saying in Turkish don't go down the water well with Americas rope.The enemy of the USA is using americas hunger for oil to there advantage thats why they got the USA stuck in Irak it was all planned and one by one the USA is falling in to the trap looks like theres more to come.

Mohammad
Lebanon
04/09/2008
This reminds me of the Bush Administration's aids during the Zionist aggression year 2006... little humantarian supplies to us, and a lot of precision targetted bombs and nuclear heads to 'Israel'... "die, with love"

Abu Aman
Pakistan
04/09/2008
Lust has no limits !
This $1bn is in actual fact not for the bread & shelter but for armaments & again US made....Ground reality is an excuse to pave ways for oil hungry uncle SAM!

Chawki
United States
04/09/2008
US Aid to Georgia
Anyone at all familiar with the disregard for the "will of the international community" continually exhibited by the Empire (USA) in the United Nations, should be flabbergasted to hear VP Dick Cheyney using that statement when referring to the actions of Russia in this "conflict". The Empire's neglect of the UN's condemnation(s) of it's blockade of Cuba and it's support for Israel's violations of Palestinian rights, are but two you should research.

AK209
United States
04/09/2008
Dont worry, well just print more
They may want to send $1B to Georgia, but I'd like to know who are they going to borrow it from. We are now the biggest debtor nation in the world, where is this $1B coming from. I love my country and I love my people no matter where they came from, but my government is not what it should be. I pray that my countrymen will wake up before it is too late.

john sancx
Afghanistan
04/09/2008
1 billion dollars.........
? 1 billion dollars?...When we have a mortgage crisis ,health care issues,and financial crisis with the middle class !! Give me a break, Mr President!

TicaTere
United States
22/10/2008
$1bn to Georgia
I have never understood how a nation with trillions of dollars in debt can even think of sending aid to other nations, as noble an idea as that might be. What the heck? Where is that money coming from? What did my econ teacher fail to teach me in school?

 
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