McCain: Russia should get out of Georgia

ARLINGTON, Va., Aug. 8 (UPI) -- U.S. Sen. John McCain released a statement Friday calling on Russia to withdraw all military forces from Georgia.

Citing news reports, McCain -- the presumptive Republican presidential nominee -- said Russia has breached Georgian sovereignty by crossing an internationally recognized border.

"Russia should immediately and unconditionally cease its military operations and withdraw all forces from sovereign Georgian territory," he said. "What is most critical now is to avoid further confrontation between Russian and Georgian military forces."

The confrontation began with Georgia's attempt to control the territory of South Ossetia, which has been effectively independent for most of the time since the breakup of the Soviet Union.

McCain called for an emergency meeting of the U.N. Security Council and a neutral and independent peacekeeping force in South Ossetia.