12 Aug 2008
NATO Ambassadors met today in an extraordinary meeting of the North Atlantic Council (NAC) to discuss the situation in Georgia. The NAC also held a session with the Georgian Ambassador to assess the current events in the partner country.
In those meetings, the Allies expressed their deep concern at the escalation
of the situation in Georgia, as well as regret for the loss of life,
civilian casualties and damage to civilian infrastructure. They also
reaffirmed strong support for the efforts by the European Union and the
Organisation for the Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) to achieve
an immediate end to the violence and reach a political solution to the
conflict.
NATO Ambassadors deplored Russia's disproportionate use of force. They stressed
their support for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Georgia and urged
Russia to respect it.
At a press conference, the NATO Secretary General, Jaap de Hoop Scheffer, called for an immediate cease fire, the return to the status quo ante in Georgia and full humanitarian access to the wounded and displaced people in that country.
The NAC Ambassadors conveyed their solidarity and support to Tbilisi authorities in the meeting with Georgia.
