Sarkozy Brokers Deal Over Troops in Georgia

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The New York Sun

Meiendorf Castle, Barvikha — President Sarkozy of France hailed a “momentous” breakthrough yesterday after securing an undertaking from Russia to withdraw its troops from undisputed Georgian territory within a month.

Although the Kremlin has repeatedly appeared to flout the terms of an earlier ceasefire deal brokered by Mr. Sarkozy, he said that he was hopeful that Russia would keep its word this time.

France is taking a lead role in talks as it holds the presidency of the European Union.

But even as Mr. Sarkozy and President Medvedev, his Russian counterpart, were describing the contents of the accord at Meiendorf Castle, a Tsarist hunting lodge outside Moscow, Georgia claimed that Russia had deployed additional troops around key towns over the past two days.

Mr. Sarkozy defended himself against criticism that he and other European leaders had been too placatory towards Moscow, saying that the original ceasefire deal, reached on August 12, should serve as an example for conflict resolution around the world. “There is no longer any conflict and the weapons are silent,” he said. “If all conflicts could embark on resolutions such as this, we would all be in a better position.”

The deal agreed to yesterday is likely to draw fresh criticism that the European Union has shifted the goalposts to suit Moscow. In the immediate aftermath of last month’s five-day war, the West was united in demanding that Russia pull its troops back to pre-conflict positions immediately.

Instead, Russia has bought itself more time. Mr. Sarkozy also signalled that the E.U. would renew talks on a new partnership deal with Moscow as soon as the withdrawal was completed — even if Russia did not rescind its unilateral recognition of independence for South Ossetia and Abkhazia, the two breakaway republics at the heart of the Georgian conflict.

America has said that a failure to impose sanctions on Russia for that recognition risked legitimizing the fact that Moscow has effectively redrawn the borders of a neighboring state.

As expected, President Bush announced that a civilian nuclear pact with Russia had been suspended. While the move is largely symbolic, it is intended to show that there is no “business as usual” with Russia.

Under the new Sarkozy-Medvedev agreement, Russian troops will withdraw from the Georgian Black Sea port of Poti and dismantle other checkpoints erected close to Abkhazia within seven days. Moscow has also agreed to pull its forces out of a self-declared buffer zone around Abkhazia.

If Russia does fulfil its commitments, Mr. Sarkozy is likely to claim that the European Union’s cautious approach to the crisis in the Caucasus has been vindicated.

“If all happens as indicated, this will have proved a momentous moment,” Mr, Sarkozy told reporters.

Mr, Medvedev predicted that European countries would recognize Abkhazia and South Ossetia in time.

Yet so far the Kremlin has been unable to persuade even its friends to back its policy in the Caucasus.

Belarus, its closest ally, yesterday deferred a decision on recognition, with President Lukashenko also appearing to backtrack on an offer to allow Russia to station nuclear missiles on his territory.


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