U.S., Russian diplomats differ on Georgia

UNITED NATIONS, Aug. 11 (UPI) -- The United Nations has been pushing for an immediate cease-fire and a return to status quo, U.S. Ambassador Zalmay Khalizad said Monday.

"There is broad agreement in the (U.N. Security Council) on this and we're working with others to get ... a draft resolution introduced as soon as possible," Khalizad told reporters outside of U.N. headquarters in New York.

The ambassador said there was a risk "that Russia is overreaching, by the intensification of its war and by the goals that it might be embracing with regard to this conflict."

If Russia doesn't agree to the goals of a cease-fire and return to status quo, "this will have a lasting impact on Russia's relations and standing with the United States and others in the international community."

" Also ... we want to make sure our Russian colleagues understand that the days of overthrowing leaders by military means in Europe ... are gone," he said

Russia's ambassador to the United Nations, Vitaly Churkin, said, he didn't believe Russia's standing with the United States was in jeopardy.

"There is a serious issue and, of course, the United States ... feels, I think, very vulnerable in a way on that issue because there has been a heavy U.S. involvement in the Georgian affairs in the past few years," Churkin said.

He said an "adequate" cease-fire agreement would include the withdrawal of Georgian forces from South Ossetia and acceptance of non-use-of-force agreement with South Ossetia and Abkhazia, both with historic ties to Russia.