Video: President Bush Calls on Russia to Reverse Course

He refers to intelligence reports which seem to indicate that Russia is going to press on even more aggressively:

U.S. President George Bush says Russia may be seeking to depose the Georgian government.

Speaking at the White House Monday, Mr. Bush said such a move against a democratically elected government is unacceptable.

The president said he has also seen reports that Russia may be preparing to bomb the civilian airport of the Georgian capital of Tbilisi.

Mr. Bush said Georgia has already accepted a peace deal, adding Russia must be true to its word that it is willing to talk peace. The president demanded Russia reverse course and pull back its troops.

A post-statement email from the White House (emphasis W.H.):

“Russia Has Invaded A Sovereign Neighboring State And Threatens A Democratic Government Elected By Its People”

President Bush: “Such an action is unacceptable in the 21st century.” “I am deeply concerned by reports that Russian troops have moved beyond the zone of conflict, attacked the Georgian town of Gori, and are threatening … Georgia’s capital of Tbilisi. There’s evidence that Russian forces may soon begin bombing the civilian airport in the capital city.” (President George W. Bush, Remarks On The Situation In Georgia, The White House, 8/11/08)

“If these reports are accurate, these Russian actions would represent a dramatic and brutal escalation of the conflict in Georgia.” “These actions would be inconsistent with assurances we have received from Russia that its objectives were limited to restoring the status quo in South Ossetia that existed before fighting began on August the 6th.”

“Russia’s Government Must Respect Georgia’s Territorial Integrity And Sovereignty”

President Bush: “It is time for Russia to be true to its word and to act to end this crisis.” “The Georgian government has accepted the elements of a peace agreement that the Russian government previously said it would be willing to accept: an immediate cease-fire, the withdrawal of forces from the zone of conflict, a return to the military status quo as of August 6th, and a commitment to refrain from using force.”

“The Russian government must reverse the course it appears to be on, and accept this peace agreement as a first step toward resolving this conflict.”

“These Actions Jeopardize … Russia’s Relations With The United States And Europe”

President Bush: “These actions have substantially damaged Russia’s standing in the world.” “There are representatives of the European Union and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe currently in Moscow seeking Russia’s agreement to this peace plan.”

You can watch video of the entire statement here.

Related posts:
Video: Reporter Muntadar al-Zaidi Throws Shoes at President Bush During Press Conference
I thought Iraqis were a bit more restrained than this. This is the sort of behavior you’d expect from Keith Olbermann or Helen Thomas. Bush was, as usual, cool under...

Transcript: President Bush Sending Troops to Georgia – Will Rally Free World in Defense
Good morning. I’ve just met with my national security team to discuss the crisis in Georgia. I’ve spoken with President Saakashvili of Georgia, and President Sarkozy of France this morning....

Abkhazia Heats Up – Will Russia Expand War?
Any hope that this would be a short-lived punitive strike by Russia seems to be fading quickly: Russia issued an ultimatum to Georgian forces on Monday to surrender completely in...

John McCain Calls on Russia to Withdraw Forces from Georgia
McCain’s carefully worded statement is diplomatically sensitive but leaves no doubt that Georgia is an ally: “Russia should immediately and unconditionally cease its military operations, withdraw all forces from the...

President Bush Lifts Executive Ban on Offshore Drilling
It’s a meaningless act but it may increase pressure on Congress: In another push to deal with soaring gas prices, President Bush on Monday will lift an executive ban on...