EU, U.S. diplomats seek Georgia ceasefire

Published: Aug. 9, 2008 at 8:42 AM

TBILISI, Georgia, Aug. 9 (UPI) -- European Union and U.S. diplomats were arriving in Georgia Saturday in an attempt to mediate an end to the military conflict, EU sources said.

Despite international appeals, fighting between Russia and Georgia has resulted in at least 1,500 killed in South Ossetia, Russian leaders said. In response, an EU diplomatic delegation headed by South Caucasus envoy Peter Semneby and a U.S. team led by Matthew Bryza was heading to the Georgian capital Tblisi, the EU Observer reported.

Lithuanian foreign minister Petras Vaitiekunas is also going on a separate, fact-finding mission for the EU, the newspaper said.

EU president France says there have been "multiple contacts" with Russia and Georgia and that it is "in liaison with all the protagonists" to hammer out a ceasefire. The Observer said EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana has been in touch with the Georgian and Russian foreign ministers as well.

EU sources said, however, that prospects for a diplomatic solution in South Ossetia is uncertain after a second meeting of the United Nations Security Council Friday failed to produce an agreement on a ceasefire resolution. The United States and Britain disagreed with Russia on the wording of the text.

© 2008 United Press International, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Order reprints



Additional News Stories
NFL: San Diego 32, Denver 3 (10 min)
NFL: Arizona 21, St. Louis 13 (19 min)
NHL: Tampa Bay 4, Atlanta 3 (OT) (41 min)
McPherson takes lead in LPGA Championship (54 min)
Alzheimer's help for blacks in Kentucky
NBA: Charlotte 104, Indiana 88
NFL: Oakland 20, Cincinnati 17
fark
Lots and lots of people would rather die than continue working for France Telecom
Doctors discover patient trapped in a 23-year 'coma' has been conscious all along
Despite efforts to discourage them, Iraqi refugees keep flocking to Detroit, since living in a war-torn...
Congratulations to the unnamed motorist who received Virginia's first $1,000 traffic ticket for...
If you are in Salinas, CA on Tuesday night and find yourself at a DUI checkpoint, you will either...
Next on the docket: Case No. 1950cv05050: Mouse vs. Duck for trademark infringement. Bonus: The...