Tue, 00:04 12 Aug 2008 GMT17

 

Russia accuses West of bias over South Ossetia
10 Aug 2008 14:08:43 GMT
Source: Reuters
MOSCOW, Aug 10 (Reuters) - Russia on Sunday accused Western countries and media of a biased pro-Georgian position in the conflict in the breakaway Georgian region of South Ossetia and said this might hamper future relations with Moscow.

"Western countries behaved strangely in the first hours of aggression towards South Ossetia, they were silent," Deputy Foreign Minister Grigory Karasin told a news conference.

"This raises very serious questions about sincerity and their attitude towards our country and will of course be taken into account in the future when we hold talks and talk about global issues," Karasin said.

Russia sent troops into South Ossetia on Friday, hours after Tbilisi's forces tried to regain control of the separatist province following clashes between separatist and Georgian troops.

Georgia accuses Russia of aggression. Russia accuses Tbilisi of indiscriminate attacks on civilians causing more than 2,000 casualties, and massive destruction.

The United States warned Russia on Sunday that Russian military escalation in the Georgia conflict could have a "significant, long-term impact" on relations between Washington and Moscow.

Karasin said the U.S. criticism irked Moscow.

"Our position is of course negative. It will of course be expressed when our minister (Sergei Lavrov) speaks on the phone with Secretary (of State Condoleezza) Rice," he said.

Karasin also accused foreign media of an anti-Russian bias.

"Western media is a well-organised machine, which is showing only those pictures which fit in well with their thoughts. We find it very difficult to squeeze our opinion in the pages of their newspapers," he said.

"Just as it was 20-30 years ago, it remains the same today ... objectivity is not a typical trait of some Western journalists and television channels," said Karasin.

He also said Moscow was unhappy about the role of the United Nations Security Council in the South Ossetia crisis.

"The objectivity of the latest meetings of the Security Council is not at its best. But the UN is the only organisation of universal scale. Its role is rising," he said. (Reporting by Dmitry Zhdannikov; editing by Tim Pearce)
AlertNet news is provided by

Related articles

Breaking stories
Asia McCain, Obama say Russia faces fallout over Georgia

Asia Bush tells Russia to reverse course in Georgia

AlertNet insight
Asia Aid groups push for access, data on Georgia displaced

Aid agency news feed
Asia Mercy Corps Rushes Aid to Georgia's Displaced

Blogs
Asia Abkhazia's civilians, caught between two machine guns

Maps
Americas MAP: Global map of climate change vulnerability (interactive map)


Country information


Del.icio.us Del.icio.us  |   Digg Digg  |   NewsVine NewsVine  |   Reddit Reddit   
Thumb for /thefacts/imagerepository/RTRPICT/2008-08-11T234520Z_01_FED05-_RTRIDSP_2_GEORGIA-OSSETIA_mainimage.jpg|/thenews/pictures/FED05..htm
Thumb for /thefacts/imagerepository/RTRPICT/2008-08-11T233121Z_01_FED08_RTRIDSP_2_GEORGIA-OSSETIA_mainimage.jpg|/thenews/pictures/FED08.htm
Thumb for /thefacts/imagerepository/RTRPICT/2008-08-11T205724Z_01_FED05_RTRIDSP_2_GEORGIA-OSSETIA_mainimage.jpg|/thenews/pictures/FED05.htm
Thumb for /thefacts/imagerepository/RTRPICT/2008-08-11T200014Z_01_FED02_RTRIDSP_2_GEORGIA-OSSETIA_mainimage.jpg|/thenews/pictures/FED02.htm
Thumb for /thefacts/imagerepository/RTRPICT/2008-08-11T194931Z_01_WAR07_RTRIDSP_2_POLAND_mainimage.jpg|/thenews/pictures/WAR07.htm

A Russian Uragan (Hurricane) multiple rocket launch system is seen on its way to Tskhinvali, the capital of Georgia's breakaway republic of South Ossetia, August 11, 2008. REUTERS/Vasily Fedosenko (RUSSIA) ...



URL: http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/LA506699.htm

For our full disclaimer and copyright information please visit http://www.alertnet.org