By SPA,
Washington : The White House on Thursday demanded that Russia immediately withdraw its forces from Georgia and warned there would be no NATO-Russia military cooperation until the crisis was resolved.
“I can’t imagine a circumstance right now that we would engage in military cooperation with the Russians until the situation in Georgia is resolved,” national security spokesman Gordon Johndroe said in Crawford, Texas.
Johndroe reiterated that Russia had violated its pledge, under a French-brokered cease-fire agreement, to withdraw its forces to where they were before a Georgian offensive into the separatist region of South Ossetia on August 6.
“Russia is in violation of the commitments that they have made,” Johndroe told reporters. “The withdrawal needs to take place, and needs to take place now.”
“The withdrawal is not happening very quickly, if it in fact has begun,” Johndroe said, echoing his remarks from Wednesday. “The Russians are making some decisions that are not in line with a commitment to become part of a Europe whole, free, and at peace.”
“We are hopeful for the day that we will be able to resume military cooperation with the Russians, hopeful for the day that we’re able to resume what I would call normal cooperation with the Russians,” Johndroe said. “We are hopeful that this is a course that they have not chosen to go down permanently.”
The spokesman cited the importance of Washington and Moscow working together on issues including the controversial nuclear programs in North Korea and Iran, securing access to energy supplies, and managing soaring global food prices.