The international reaction to the 2008 South Ossetia war

2008 South Ossetia war

The 2008 South Ossetia War or Russo-Georgian War was an armed conflict in August 2008 between Georgia on one side, and Russia and separatist governments of South Ossetia and Abkhazia on the other....

covered many nations, NGOs, and non-state actors. The conflict began in August 2008 over South Ossetia

South Ossetia

South Ossetia or Tskhinvali Region is a disputed region and partly recognized state in the South Caucasus, located in the territory of the South Ossetian Autonomous Oblast within the former Georgian Soviet Socialist Republic....

 but eventually the violence spread elsewhere in Georgia as well. As of August 2008 the war was having a considerable humanitarian impact and has affected the financial markets of Russia and Georgia.

In general, Georgia accused Russia of aggression

War of aggression

A war of aggression, sometimes also war of conquest, is a military conflict waged without the justification of self-defense usually for territorial gain and subjugation. The phrase is distinctly modern and diametrically opposed to the prior legal international standard of "might makes right", under...

 and invasion

Invasion

An invasion is a military offensive consisting of all, or large parts of the armed forces of one geopolitical entity aggressively entering territory controlled by another such entity, generally with the objective of either conquering, liberating or re-establishing control or authority over a...

 through land, air, and sea, whereas Russia accused Georgia of genocide

Genocide

Genocide is defined as "the deliberate and systematic destruction, in whole or in part, of an ethnic, racial, religious, or national group", though what constitutes enough of a "part" to qualify as genocide has been subject to much debate by legal scholars...

 and crimes against humanity targeting Ossetians

Ossetians

The Ossetians are an Iranic ethnic group of the Caucasus Mountains, eponymous of the region known as Ossetia.They speak Ossetic, an Iranian language of the Eastern branch, with most also fluent in Russian as a second language....

 and Russian peacekeepers. Most other countries called for peace

Peace

Peace is a state of harmony characterized by the lack of violent conflict. Commonly understood as the absence of hostility, peace also suggests the existence of healthy or newly healed interpersonal or international relationships, prosperity in matters of social or economic welfare, the...

, with some insisting on respect of Georgia's territorial integrity

Territorial integrity

Territorial integrity is the principle under international law that nation-states should not attempt to promote secessionist movements or to promote border changes in other nation-states...

, and others supporting Russia's intervention. The discussion among people involved in the conflict placed a lot of emphasis on who started it, while the reaction from the international community was disbelief at the level of destruction, calling for an end to unnecessary hostilities.

International organisations

Organisation	Response
Amnesty International Amnesty International Amnesty International is an international non-governmental organisation whose stated mission is "to conduct research and generate action to prevent and end grave abuses of human rights, and to demand justice for those whose rights have been violated."Following a publication of Peter Benenson's...	In November 2008, Amnesty International released a 69 page report citing both Georgia and Russia of serious international law violations on the conduct of war.
Caritas Internationalis Caritas (charity) Caritas Internationalis is a confederate of 164 Roman Catholic relief, development and social service organisations operating in over 200 countries and territories worldwide....	Conflict between Georgia Georgia (country) Georgia is a sovereign state in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, it is bounded to the west by the Black Sea, to the north by Russia, to the southwest by Turkey, to the south by Armenia, and to the southeast by Azerbaijan. The capital of...  and Russia Russia Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...  over breakaway South Ossetia South Ossetia South Ossetia or Tskhinvali Region is a disputed region and partly recognized state in the South Caucasus, located in the territory of the South Ossetian Autonomous Oblast within the former Georgian Soviet Socialist Republic....  has killed thousands of people and tens of thousands have been driven from their homes. Caritas is responding in the region with food, household items, and counselling to those people caught in the fighting. Caritas Internationalis is supporting calls for an immediate ceasefire and the start of negotiations to bring a peaceful solution to the conflict. Caritas Internationalis Secretary General Lesley-Anne Knight said, "Russia and Georgia must step back from all-out war. Already the conflict has caused too much suffering to thousands of innocent civilians. It will take a huge regional effort to rebuild shattered communities." Caritas appeals to both sides to do everything in their power to respect the lives of civilians. Caritas supports the need for humanitarian corridors into South Ossetia as a short term solution, but peace talks must take place now. "Both sides must respect the rights of ethnic minorities to avoid a further escalation in the conflict." Caritas Georgia is providing food to people who have fled the conflict. Caritas Georgia is also seeking to provide medical help to the large number of casualties as hospitals in the capital Tbilisi Tbilisi Tbilisi is the capital and the largest city of Georgia, lying on the banks of the Mt'k'vari River. The name is derived from an early Georgian form T'pilisi and it was officially known as Tiflis until 1936...  face becoming overwhelmed. Caritas Georgia Programme Manager Liana Mkheidze said that providing food and medical help is the priority. She said, "Many people are coming to Tbilisi from Georgian villages around Tskhinvali Tskhinvali Tskhinvali , is the capital of South Ossetia, a disputed region which has been recognised as an independent Republic by Russia, Venezuela, Nicaragua and Nauru, and is regarded by Georgia and the rest of the world as part of the Shida Kartli region within Georgian sovereign territory.It is located...  and the also from Gori Gori, Georgia Gori is a city in eastern Georgia, which serves as the regional capital of Shida Kartli and the centre of the homonymous administrative district. The name is from Georgian gora , that is, "heap", or "hill"... . Their houses have been damaged and they’re escaping the bombardment. "Caritas Georgia distributed 1920 small cans of tuna-fish and 420 cans of canned meat together with 500 loaves of freshly baked bread from its own bakery. We are preparing to distribute more bread and preparing food at our soup-kitchen if necessary to provide food to those made homeless. Local Caritas Vladikavkaz in North Ossetia says shelter for refugees is the priority. Director of Caritas Vladikavkaz Vladikavkaz -Notable structures:In Vladikavkaz, there is a guyed TV mast, tall, built in 1961, which has six crossbars with gangways in two levels running from the mast structure to the guys.-Twin towns/sister cities:...  (North Ossetia-Alania North Ossetia-Alania The Republic of North Ossetia–Alania is a federal subject of Russia . Its population according to the 2010 Census was 712,877.-Name:... ) Sergey Basiev said, "There are lots of refugees seeking shelter. They have nothing. The situation is dreadful. We will try to meet these urgent needs."
Collective Security Treaty Organisation Collective Security Treaty Organisation The Collective Security Treaty Organization is an intergovernmental military alliance which was signed on 15 May 1992. On 7 October 2002, the Presidents of Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia and Tajikistan signed a charter in Tashkent founding the CSTO.Nikolai Bordyuzha was appointed...	On 3 September, The CSTO member countries supported Russia's stance on the events in the caucuses in a collective statement. According to Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov Sergey Lavrov Sergey Viktorovich Lavrov is the Foreign Minister of Russia. Prior to that, Lavrov was a Soviet diplomat and Russia's ambassador to the United Nations from 1994 to 2004. Lavrov speaks Russian, English, French and Sinhala.... , "It [the statement] denounces the military actions taken by Georgia against South Ossetia and stresses the necessity to avoid such situations in the future. The statement highlights the key points, has all the necessary verifications, including condemnation of Georgia's military actions against South Ossetia. It stresses the need to do the best in order not to admit similar attempts at using force for solving conflicts and evaluates events in the conflict zone. It condemns the policy of double standards and admits the dangers in the conflict zone." The member states also backed a Russian proposal to impose an arms embargo on Georgia. Armenian Foreign Minister Edvard Nalbandyan said, citing the joint statement: "We have come out with support for Russia's active role in contributing to peace and cooperation in the region." But the CSTO (ODKB) did not follow Russia's lead at this meeting and didn't recognise South Ossetia and Abkhazia as independent states. Secretary General Nikolai Bordyuzha Nikolai Bordyuzha Nikolay Nikolayevich Bordyuzha is a Russian general and politician.In 1972, he graduated from Perm Military School of the High command of the Russian Strategic Rocket Forces and later attended KGB intelligence courses in Novosibirsk....  stated at a press conference in Yerevan Yerevan Yerevan is the capital and largest city of Armenia and one of the world's oldest continuously-inhabited cities. Situated along the Hrazdan River, Yerevan is the administrative, cultural, and industrial center of the country...  that the present situation is "driving Abkhazia and South Ossetia into the collective security system", and further stated his belief that "South Ossetia and Abkhazia can not successfully and steadily develop without [being part of] a collective security system, without the backing of other states."
	On 9 August, Nicolas Sarkozy Nicolas Sarkozy Nicolas Sarkozy is the 23rd and current President of the French Republic and ex officio Co-Prince of Andorra. He assumed the office on 16 May 2007 after defeating the Socialist Party candidate Ségolène Royal 10 days earlier.... , President of France, who currently holds the rotating presidency of the European Union, announced with American President President of the United States The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....  George W. Bush George W. Bush George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....  that the EU and the USA will send a joint delegation to try to negotiate a cease fire. On 12 August, French President Nicolas Sarkozy Nicolas Sarkozy Nicolas Sarkozy is the 23rd and current President of the French Republic and ex officio Co-Prince of Andorra. He assumed the office on 16 May 2007 after defeating the Socialist Party candidate Ségolène Royal 10 days earlier....  reportedly convinced Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin Vladimir Putin Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin served as the second President of the Russian Federation and is the current Prime Minister of Russia, as well as chairman of United Russia and Chairman of the Council of Ministers of the Union of Russia and Belarus. He became acting President on 31 December 1999, when...  not to follow through with his plans to overthrow the Georgian government and "hang Saakashvili Mikheil Saakashvili Mikheil Saakashvili is a Georgian politician, the third and current President of Georgia and leader of the United National Movement Party.Involved in the national politics since 1995, Saakashvili became president on 25 January 2004 after President Eduard Shevardnadze resigned in a November 2003...  by the balls". Altogether, what may at first glance seem as fundamental disagreeements among the EU members, in fact turned out to be pragmatism and an interest-based approach among the European countries towards Russia in the longer time perspective
Human Rights Watch Human Rights Watch Human Rights Watch is an international non-governmental organization that conducts research and advocacy on human rights. Its headquarters are in New York City and it has offices in Berlin, Beirut, Brussels, Chicago, Geneva, Johannesburg, London, Los Angeles, Moscow, Paris, San Francisco, Tokyo,...	Georgia and Russia should not under any circumstances target civilians as the current hostilities intensify in South Ossetia, HRW said. "All sides must remember that attacks on civilians, or acts intended to terrorise civilians, clearly violate international humanitarian law, and may constitute war crimes," said Holly Cartner, Europe and Central Asia director at Human Rights Watch. "This would be true even if they are carried out in reprisal for indiscriminate attacks by the adversary."
NATO	NATO's official website posted the following statement from the NATO Secretary General: "The NATO Secretary General, Jaap de Hoop Scheffer Jaap de Hoop Scheffer Jakob Gijsbert "Jaap" de Hoop Scheffer is a retired Dutch politician of the Christian Democratic Appeal . He served as the 11th Secretary General of NATO from January 5, 2004 until August 1, 2009.... , is seriously concerned about the events that are taking place in the Georgian region of South Ossetia and said that the Alliance is closely following the situation. The Secretary General calls on all sides for an immediate end of the armed clashes and direct talks between the parties". On 11 August Russia also called for an emergency meeting of the Russia-NATO Council to appeal for NATO’s assistance in ending the crisis, but the initiative was blocked by the United States.
Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe	The Finnish foreign minister Alexander Stubb Alexander Stubb Cai-Göran Alexander Stubb is a Finnish politician and Minister for Foreign Affairs from 4 April 2008 to 22 June 2011... , acting as the chairman of the organisation, has travelled with the EU delegation to negotiate a cease-fire. Stubb has stated that OSCE is the only organisation that has infrastructure in the area and which can immediately deploy military observers and humanitarian assistance to manage the conflict. All 56 members have supported the plan to send 100 military observers to monitor the ceasefire.
International Committee of the Red Cross International Committee of the Red Cross The International Committee of the Red Cross is a private humanitarian institution based in Geneva, Switzerland. States parties to the four Geneva Conventions of 1949 and their Additional Protocols of 1977 and 2005, have given the ICRC a mandate to protect the victims of international and...	On 8 August, The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) urged the combatant sides to make a humanitarian corridor to evacuate the wounded and civilians from Tskhinvali Tskhinvali Tskhinvali , is the capital of South Ossetia, a disputed region which has been recognised as an independent Republic by Russia, Venezuela, Nicaragua and Nauru, and is regarded by Georgia and the rest of the world as part of the Shida Kartli region within Georgian sovereign territory.It is located... . On 11 August they released a statement saying they were sending 15 tons of medicine and medical supplies to the conflict zone. They also stated "the ICRC has officially reminded Georgia and Russia of their obligation under international humanitarian law International humanitarian law International humanitarian law , often referred to as the laws of war, the laws and customs of war or the law of armed conflict, is the legal corpus that comprises "the Geneva Conventions and the Hague Conventions, as well as subsequent treaties, case law, and customary international law." It...  to protect civilians and distinguish at all times between the civilian population and those taking a direct part in the hostilities. The four Geneva Conventions Geneva Conventions The Geneva Conventions comprise four treaties, and three additional protocols, that establish the standards of international law for the humanitarian treatment of the victims of war... , their Additional Protocol I and the customary rules and principles of international humanitarian law are all applicable in this situation."
Shanghai Cooperation Organisation	The Hindu The Hindu The Hindu is an Indian English-language daily newspaper founded and continuously published in Chennai since 1878. According to the Audit Bureau of Circulations, it has a circulation of 1.46 million copies as of December 2009. The enterprise employed over 1,600 workers and gross income reached $40... reported that Russia has gained crucial support from the People's Republic of China and other member states in the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation. Xinhua News Agency Xinhua News Agency The Xinhua News Agency is the official press agency of the government of the People's Republic of China and the biggest center for collecting information and press conferences in the PRC. It is the largest news agency in the PRC, ahead of the China News Service... reported that a joint declaration was issued at the 28 August 2008 SCO Dushanbe Dushanbe -Economy:Coal, lead, and arsenic are mined nearby in the cities of Nurek and Kulob allowing for the industrialization of Dushanbe. The Nurek Dam, the world's highest as of 2008, generates 95% of Tajikistan's electricity, and another dam, the Roghun Dam, is planned on the Vakhsh River...  summit and signed by the leaders of all six full members, most notably Russian President Dmitry Medvedev. The communique denounces force as a means to solve international problems, expressed concern over the tense situation, and called upon all parties to solve the ongoing South Ossetia conflict through peaceful dialogue. The heads have agreed to the six-point plan which was established in Moscow (12 August) and have expressed support to Russia. Some Western sources added that the SCO called for respect for every country's territorial integrity, stating, "The participants [of the SCO summit] underscore the need for respect of the historical and cultural traditions of each country and each people, for efforts aimed at the preservation, under international law, of the unity of a state and its territorial integrity". On 29 August 2008 some Western and Russian sources confirmed that the SCO Group "refused to back Moscow in its conflict with Georgia, and to support Moscow’s recognition of South Ossetia and Abkhazia".
United Nations	On 7 August, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon Ban Ki-moon Ban Ki-moon is the eighth and current Secretary-General of the United Nations, after succeeding Kofi Annan in 2007. Before going on to be Secretary-General, Ban was a career diplomat in South Korea's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and in the United Nations. He entered diplomatic service the year he...  voiced grave concern over the escalation of violence and urged all parties to the conflict to "refrain from any actions that might jeopardise the situation further and pose threat to stability in the region". On 8 August at GMT 4 a.m. an emergency session of the UN Security Council was held to discuss the situation. The session was requested by Russia. The session failed to reach an agreement that would have called on Georgia and the separatists to immediately halt all fighting, but expressed its concern over the renewed conflict. Between 06:00 GMT on 8 August and 23:00 GMT on 9 August, Russia tabled three resolutions at the UN Security Council calling upon all sides to renounce the use of force. Each time its efforts were opposed by the United Kingdom and the United States, who sided with Georgia’s UN Ambassador Irakli Alasania. Miguel d'Escoto Brockmann, the president President of the United Nations General Assembly The President of the United Nations General Assembly is a position voted for by representatives in the United Nations General Assembly on a yearly basis.- Election :...  of the UN General Assembly United Nations General Assembly For two articles dealing with membership in the General Assembly, see:* General Assembly members* General Assembly observersThe United Nations General Assembly is one of the five principal organs of the United Nations and the only one in which all member nations have equal representation... , accused Georgia of committing an act of aggression against South Ossetia and violating the UN Charter.

States releasing joint statements

Countries	Response
Estonia  Latvia  Lithuania	On 10 August Ene Ergma Ene Ergma Ene Ergma is an Estonian politician, a member of the Riigikogu , and scientist. She is a member of the political party Union of Pro Patria and Res Publica... , Gundars Daudze Gundars Daudze Gundars Daudze is a Latvian physician and politician, Speaker of the 9th Saeima of Latvia .-References:...  and Česlovas Juršėnas Ceslovas Juršenas Česlovas Juršėnas is a Lithuanian politician and the former Speaker of the Seimas, the Lithuanian parliament.In 1955, he graduated from Ignalina secondary school with a gold medal and entered Vilnius University from which he graduated in 1966.During 1960-1964 he was an employee of a newspaper... , the presidents of the parliaments of the Baltic states Baltic states The term Baltic states refers to the Baltic territories which gained independence from the Russian Empire in the wake of World War I: primarily the contiguous trio of Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania ; Finland also fell within the scope of the term after initially gaining independence in the 1920s.The...  – Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania – issued a joint declaration expressing deep concern and anxiety over the events in Georgia: "We are calling on the international community to decisively condemn actions of Russia and to promptly take all necessary steps to stop the war and bring the parties to the negotiation table. Justification of Russia’s actions in Georgia by the need to protect its citizens is unacceptable. Alleged reasons for taking up a war against Georgia raise concerns about the future in every state with Russian citizens living on its territory. We are concerned and disappointed with the actions and behavior of Russia, as an important actor in the politics of the region and the whole world, which will inevitably have effect on further bilateral and multilateral relations with this country. Russia's military aggression against another sovereign state and actions contradicting the statements of its leaders raise serious doubts about the reliability and consistency of Russia as a partner."
Estonia  Latvia  Lithuania  Poland	Toomas Hendrik Ilves Toomas Hendrik Ilves Toomas Hendrik Ilves is the fourth and current President of Estonia. He is a former diplomat and journalist, was the leader of the Social Democratic Party in the 1990s and later a member of the European Parliament... , Valdis Zatlers Valdis Zatlers Valdis Zatlers is a Latvian politician and former physician who served as the seventh president of Latvia from 2007 to 2011. He won the Latvian presidential election of 31 May 2007... , Valdas Adamkus Valdas Adamkus Valdas Adamkus was President of Lithuania from 1998 to 2003 and again from 2004 to 2009.In Lithuania, the President's tenure lasts for five years; Adamkus' first term in office began on February 26, 1998 and ended on February 28, 2003, following his defeat by Rolandas Paksas in the next...  and Lech Kaczyński Lech Kaczynski Lech Aleksander Kaczyński was Polish lawyer and politician who served as the President of Poland from 2005 until 2010 and as Mayor of Warsaw from 2002 until 22 December 2005. Before he became a president, he was also a member of the party Prawo i Sprawiedliwość... , respectively the Presidents of Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland, issued a joint declaration condemning Russian actions as an 'aggression': "We strongly condemn the actions by the Russian military forces against the sovereign and independent country of Georgia. Following the unilateral military actions of the Russian military forces, we will use all means available to us as Presidents to ensure that aggression against a small country in Europe will not be passed over in silence or with meaningless statements equating the victims with the victimisers."
Estonia  Latvia  Lithuania  Poland  Ukraine	Toomas Hendrik Ilves Toomas Hendrik Ilves Toomas Hendrik Ilves is the fourth and current President of Estonia. He is a former diplomat and journalist, was the leader of the Social Democratic Party in the 1990s and later a member of the European Parliament... , Valdas Adamkus Valdas Adamkus Valdas Adamkus was President of Lithuania from 1998 to 2003 and again from 2004 to 2009.In Lithuania, the President's tenure lasts for five years; Adamkus' first term in office began on February 26, 1998 and ended on February 28, 2003, following his defeat by Rolandas Paksas in the next... , Lech Kaczyński Lech Kaczynski Lech Aleksander Kaczyński was Polish lawyer and politician who served as the President of Poland from 2005 until 2010 and as Mayor of Warsaw from 2002 until 22 December 2005. Before he became a president, he was also a member of the party Prawo i Sprawiedliwość... , Viktor Yushchenko Viktor Yushchenko Viktor Andriyovych Yushchenko is a former President of Ukraine. He took office on January 23, 2005, following a period of popular unrest known as the Orange Revolution... , Ivars Godmanis Ivars Godmanis Ivars Godmanis is a Latvian politician and currently 1 of the 8 Latvian MEPs in the European parliament. He was the first Prime Minister of Latvia after the country became independent from the Soviet Union, and he became a Prime Minister for the second time in December 2007.Godmanis served as... , respectively the Presidents of Estonia, Lithuania, Poland, Ukraine and Prime Minister of Latvia have visited Tbilisi together for the joint support of Georgia. The aim of this common diplomatic mission of European democratic states, which had been either satellite states People's Republic of Poland The People's Republic of Poland was the official name of Poland from 1952 to 1990. Although the Soviet Union took control of the country immediately after the liberation from Nazi Germany in 1944, the name of the state was not changed until eight years later...  or occupied and annexed by the Soviet Union Soviet Union The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....  prior to its 1991 dissolution, is a contribution to the territorial integrity and sovereignty of independent Georgia.

Individual states

Country Country A country is a region legally identified as a distinct entity in political geography. A country may be an independent sovereign state or one that is occupied by another state, as a non-sovereign or formerly sovereign political division, or a geographic region associated with a previously...	Response
	Albania Foreign Ministry Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Albania) The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is the ministry in the Government of Albania which is in charge of foreign relations and admission of Albania into the European Union and NATO. The current minister is Edmond Haxhinasto, who replaced Ilir Meta due to a corruption scandal....  has said "We recognise the sovereignty of Georgia."
	Argentine Foreign Ministry released a statement, which said that the Argentine government "deplores the violence, and exhorts involved parties to avoid any escalation that could worsen the conflict", and hopes that "peace is immediately restored in the region"
	The Armenian Foreign Ministry Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Armenia) The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is the Armenian government ministry which oversees the foreign relations of Armenia. It has been in existence since shortly after the independence of Armenia in 1918.- External links :...  said Yerevan is closely monitoring the situation and urging the conflicting parties to call a halt to military operations. "We are certainly concerned about the situation and hope that a solution will be found very quickly," Deputy Foreign Minister Gegham Gharibjanian told RFE/RL. "We hope that the parties will make maximum efforts to quickly stop bloodshed and find peaceful solutions to contentious issues," he said.
	Prime Minister Kevin Rudd Kevin Rudd Kevin Michael Rudd is an Australian politician who was the 26th Prime Minister of Australia from 2007 to 2010. He has been Minister for Foreign Affairs since 2010...  called for an immediate ceasefire and respect for Georgia's territorial integrity.
	Austrian Foreign Minister Ursula Plassnik Ursula Plassnik Ursula Plassnik is an Austrian diplomat and politician. She was Foreign Minister of Austria between October 2004 and December 2008.-Early life and career:...  urged "Russia to respect the territorial integrity of Georgia, considering the UN resolution."
	A spokesman for the Azeri Foreign Ministry Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Azerbaijan) Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan is a Cabinet-level governmental agency in Azerbaijan Republic in charge of conducting and designing Azerbaijani Foreign policy.- History :... , Khazar Ibrahim Khazar Ibrahim Khazar Ibrahim is an adviser for Azerbaijan's ambassador to the United States.-Education:He graduated from the Baku State University, Azerbaijan, with an MA in International Relations, from Georgetown University, Washington, D.C., with an MA in Security Studies.-Career:He is a career diplomat,... , said that the Georgian actions were in accord with international law and that Azerbaijan recognises the territorial integrity of Georgia. According to Azerbaijan Azerbaijan Azerbaijan , officially the Republic of Azerbaijan is the largest country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, it is bounded by the Caspian Sea to the east, Russia to the north, Georgia to the northwest, Armenia to the west, and Iran to... i media, several ethnic Georgians of Azerbaijani citizenship in Qakh Qakh Qakh , also Kakh or sometimes Gakh , is a raion in the north of Azerbaijan, on the border with Georgia.-Geography:The area of the region occupies and borders Russia on the north, Georgia on the west...  and Zaqatala Zaqatala (rayon) Zaqatala is a rayon of Azerbaijan. The capital and principal town of the rayon is Zaqatala. The rayon is an appendix of Azeri territory wedged between Georgia and Dagestan...  regions of Azerbaijan Azerbaijan Azerbaijan , officially the Republic of Azerbaijan is the largest country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, it is bounded by the Caspian Sea to the east, Russia to the north, Georgia to the northwest, Armenia to the west, and Iran to...  had crossed the Azerbaijani-Georgian border to join Georgian forces. There is negative public opinion in Azerbaijan regarding Russia's actions in Georgian territory
	The caretaker government's Foreign Advisor Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury said in a statement: "This outbreak of violence is a matter of deep concern for the international community including Bangladesh. We hope for an early cessation of hostilities."
	President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko Alexander Lukashenko Alexander Grigoryevich Lukashenko has been serving as the President of Belarus since 20 July 1994. Before his career as a politician, Lukashenko worked as director of a state-owned agricultural farm. Under Lukashenko's rule, Belarus has come to be viewed as a state whose conduct is out of line...  stated that "Russia acted calmly, wisely and beautifully". He also said that "the Belarussian people, like all Russians, is in mourning over the victims of the tragedy and shares the concerns of those who lost relatives, their homes and their livelihoods. May they have strength and courage in overcoming the consequences of this humanitarian catastrophe." Prime Minister Sergey Sidorsky Sergey Sidorsky Sergei Sergeevich Sidorsky was Prime Minister of Belarus from 10 July 2003 to 28 December 2010...  said that his country had sent humanitarian aid to victims of fighting in South Ossetia and was ready to host several thousand children over the next two months. Maria Vanshina, Deputy Head for Information of Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Belarus Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Belarus) The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Belarus is the Belarusian government ministry which oversees the foreign relations of Belarus.The current Minister of Foreign Affairs is Sergei Martynov. Previous Ministers include Andrei Sannikov....  said "The use of military force in the zone of South Ossetia, civilian casualties, bloodshed, economic losses, ruined peaceful life of people cause a deep concern in us. Only immediate ceasefire, peaceful and civilised manner of negotiating will secure stability in the South Ossetian region and across the Caucasus." Lukashenko offered to send 2,000 Ossetian children to Belarusian schools.
	The Government of Republika Srpska Republika Srpska Republika Srpska is one of two main political entities of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the other being the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina...  sent condolences to families of those who were killed during the war. The statement condemned Georgia for taking unilateral military action which undermined the peace and called the reaction of Russia legitimate. Republika Srpska Government expressed hope for the restoration of peace and declared the mutual agreement to be the right way to solve the crisis.
	The Brazilian Foreign Ministry issued the following statement: "The Brazilian Government follows with grave concern the escalation of violence in South Ossetia and is saddened by the loss of lives in the conflict. Brazil deplores the use of violence and supports the peaceful solution of controversies. Brazil Brazil Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...  urges the parties involved to seek dialogue, for an immediate cease-fire and reconciliation in order to restore peace and security in the region, based on International Law."
	Bulgaria Bulgaria Bulgaria , officially the Republic of Bulgaria , is a parliamentary democracy within a unitary constitutional republic in Southeast Europe. The country borders Romania to the north, Serbia and Macedonia to the west, Greece and Turkey to the south, as well as the Black Sea to the east... n Minister of Foreign Affairs Ivaylo Kalfin Ivaylo Kalfin Ivaylo Georgiev Kalfin is a Bulgarian politician. A three-term deputy, he was Minister of Foreign Affairs of Bulgaria and Deputy Prime Minister from 2005 to 2009...  issued the following statement: "Bulgaria supports a strong and active Europe Europe Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting... an position in the South Ossetia conflict. Our embassy in Georgia is working night and day." According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' official statement, "Bulgaria is monitoring the escalation of the tensions in the area of the South Ossetia conflict with concern. The reports of victims among the civilian population in the region of the town of Tskhinvali cause particular anxiety. As a European Union member, Bulgaria would support the union's more active diplomatic involvement in order to prevent the further escalation of the tensions and to contribute to the solution of the conflict in the region of South Ossetia.
	Canada's Minister of Foreign Affairs Minister of Foreign Affairs (Canada) The Minister of Foreign Affairs is the Minister of the Crown in the Canadian Cabinet who is responsible for overseeing the federal government's international relations section of Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada.... , David Emerson David Emerson David Lee Emerson, PC, OBC is a Canadian politician, businessman and civil servant.Emerson is a former Member of Parliament for the riding of Vancouver Kingsway. He was first elected as a Liberal and served as Minister of Industry under Prime Minister Paul Martin... , released the following statement: "Canada is gravely concerned about the recent violence in South Ossetia, and we deplore the casualties that have resulted. We call for an immediate halt to the hostilities and strongly urge all parties involved to display restraint in words and deeds, and to respect national boundaries. Canada stands ready to work with its partners in the United Nations and in the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe to support efforts toward a peaceful resolution of the conflict." On 10 August 2008 David Emerson, Minister of Foreign Affairs, released a statement on the continuing hostilities in Georgia: “I am very concerned about the expansion of hostilities well beyond the region of South Ossetia. Rather than acting as a neutral peacekeeper, Russia has escalated the hostilities through its attacks on Georgian towns and cities outside the conflict zone. Canada calls on Russia to respect Georgia’s borders and to desist from any further encroachment on Georgia’s territorial integrity." On 27 August 2008, International Co-operation Minister Minister for International Cooperation (Canada) The Minister for International Cooperation is the Minister of the Crown in the Canadian Cabinet who is responsible for overseeing Canadian international development strategy, including responsibility for the Canadian International Development Agency . The current Minister is Bev Oda.-Ministers:Key:...  Bev Oda Bev Oda The Hon. Beverley Joan "Bev" Oda, PC, MP is a Canadian politician. She is a current member of the Canadian House of Commons, as well as the first Japanese-Canadian MP and cabinet minister in Canadian history. She represents the riding of Durham for the Conservative Party of Canada. She was...  announced $ Canadian dollar The Canadian dollar is the currency of Canada. As of 2007, the Canadian dollar is the 7th most traded currency in the world. It is abbreviated with the dollar sign $, or C$ to distinguish it from other dollar-denominated currencies... 2 million dollars in humanitarian aid.
	The Foreign Minister Foreign minister A Minister of Foreign Affairs, or foreign minister, is a cabinet minister who helps form the foreign policy of a sovereign state. The foreign minister is often regarded as the most senior ministerial position below that of the head of government . It is often granted to the deputy prime minister in... , Alejandro Foxley Alejandro Foxley Alejandro Tomás Foxley Rioseco is a Chilean economist and politician. He was the Foreign Minister of Chile from 2006 to 2009 and previously served as Minister of Finance from 1990 to 1994 and leader of the Christian Democrat Party from 1994 to 1996.-Education and personal life:Foxley received a... , expressed that the Government of Chile Chile Chile ,officially the Republic of Chile , is a country in South America occupying a long, narrow coastal strip between the Andes mountains to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. It borders Peru to the north, Bolivia to the northeast, Argentina to the east, and the Drake Passage in the far...  deplores the act of violence Violence Violence is the use of physical force to apply a state to others contrary to their wishes. violence, while often a stand-alone issue, is often the culmination of other kinds of conflict, e.g...  and armed confrontation in South Ossetia and adjacent places, which have caused numerous victims and uncountable material damages. In a press conference, Minister Foxley said that Chile Chile Chile ,officially the Republic of Chile , is a country in South America occupying a long, narrow coastal strip between the Andes mountains to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. It borders Peru to the north, Bolivia to the northeast, Argentina to the east, and the Drake Passage in the far...  formulates a call to respect the cease of fire "because, the worst from these situations, where territories are disputed, is the large amount of victims, who are absolutely innocent people. The way of dialog has an institutional framework, which is the Charter of the United Nations. The situation is extremely complex, and the first step to take is to reestablish peace, to sit in the negotiation table and to look for rules for pacific coexistence".
	A spokesman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China is an executive agency responsible for foreign relations between the People's Republic of China and other countries in the world. The agency is led by the Foreign Minister. The current minister is Yang Jiechi...  Qin Gang said that "China expresses grave concern over the escalation of tension and armed conflicts in South Ossetia. China calls upon relevant parties to keep restraint and cease fire immediately. We sincerely hope relevant parties resolve their disputes peacefully through dialogue, so as to safeguard regional peace and stability." China also called for an "Olympic ceasefire", following the tradition of ceasing hostilities during the Ancient Olympic Games.
	The Croatian United Nations ambassador appealed for the Olympic Truce.
	A statement from Cuban President President of Cuba --209.174.31.28 18:43, 22 November 2011 The President of Cuba is the Head of state of Cuba. According to the Cuban Constitution of 1976, the President is the chief executive of the Council of State of Cuba...  Raul Castro Raúl Castro Raúl Modesto Castro Ruz is a Cuban politician and revolutionary who has been President of the Council of State of Cuba and the President of the Council of Ministers of Cuba since 2008; he previously exercised presidential powers in an acting capacity from 2006 to 2008...  suggests that Cuba Cuba The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...  has recognised the legitimacy of South Ossetian autonomy since the fall of the Soviet Union Soviet Union The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991.... . "When the USSR disintegrated, South Ossetia, annexed by force by Georgia, with which it shared neither nationality Ossetians The Ossetians are an Iranic ethnic group of the Caucasus Mountains, eponymous of the region known as Ossetia.They speak Ossetic, an Iranian language of the Eastern branch, with most also fluent in Russian as a second language....  nor culture, retained its status as an autonomous republic Autonomous republic An autonomous republic is a type of administrative division similar to a province. A significant number of autonomous republics can be found within the successor states of the Soviet Union, but the majority are located within Russia. Many of these republics were established during the Soviet...  with its local authorities and its capitol, Tskhinvali Tskhinvali Tskhinvali , is the capital of South Ossetia, a disputed region which has been recognised as an independent Republic by Russia, Venezuela, Nicaragua and Nauru, and is regarded by Georgia and the rest of the world as part of the Shida Kartli region within Georgian sovereign territory.It is located... ." He continues, "It is a false claim that Georgia is defending its national sovereignty."
	Czech President President of the Czech Republic The President of the Czech Republic is the head of state of the Czech Republic. Unlike his counterparts in Austria and Hungary, who are generally considered figureheads, the Czech President has a considerable role in political affairs... , Václav Klaus Václav Klaus Václav Klaus is the second President of the Czech Republic and a former Prime Minister .An economist, he is co-founder of the Civic Democratic Party, the Czech Republic's largest center-right political party. Klaus is a eurosceptic, but he reluctantly endorsed the Lisbon treaty as president of... , stated that when many Western powers decided to recognise Kosovo's break from Serbia Serbia Serbia , officially the Republic of Serbia , is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeast Europe, covering the southern part of the Carpathian basin and the central part of the Balkans...  in February, it "gave Russia a strong justification for its actions (in Georgia)". Klaus also said that he was worried that the precedent of Kosovo will have long-term consequences in other parts of the world with separatist-minded regions. He also rejected the idea that the Georgia-Russia conflict is a strong argument for the installation of a U.S. radar base in the Czech Republic as part of a missile defense system. He also said "I refuse to accept this widespread, simplified interpretation which paints the Georgians as the victims and the Russians as the villains" and rejected comparison with Warsaw Pact invasion of Czechoslovakia Warsaw Pact invasion of Czechoslovakia On the night of 20–21 August 1968, the Soviet Union and her main satellite states in the Warsaw Pact – Bulgaria, the German Democratic Republic , Hungary and Poland – invaded the Czechoslovak Socialist Republic in order to halt Alexander Dubček's Prague Spring political liberalization...  saying that in 1968 Czechoslovakia did not attack Subcarpathian Ruthenia and that in his view the pro-reform Czechoslovak leader Alexander Dubček Alexander Dubcek Alexander Dubček , also known as Dikita, was a Slovak politician and briefly leader of Czechoslovakia , famous for his attempt to reform the communist regime during the Prague Spring...  did not resemble President Saakashvili in word or deed. He criticised both sides "I unambiguously condemn Georgia's attack on South Ossetia, the murdering of civilians in the area as well as the massive intervention of the Russian military". The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic released a statement expressing the country's "deep concern" at the unfolding events, urging the immediate cessation of hostilities and for the international community to intervene.
	The Prime Minister of Denmark Prime Minister of Denmark The Prime Minister of Denmark is the head of government in Danish politics. The Prime Minister is traditionally the leader of a political coalition in the Folketing and presides over the cabinet....  Anders Fogh Rasmussen Anders Fogh Rasmussen Anders Fogh Rasmussen is a Danish politician, and the 12th and current Secretary General of NATO. Rasmussen served as Prime Minister of Denmark from 27 November 2001 to 5 April 2009....  condemns Russia's aggression: "We have to insist that the sovereignty of Georgia be respected. There are no military solutions. There is only one solution: diplomatic negotiation. The conflict in the breakaway region doesn't justify Russia's aggression"
	The Estonian parliament Riigikogu Riigikogu The Riigikogu is the unicameral parliament of Estonia. All important state-related questions pass through the Riigikogu...  on 12 August „condemns the military aggression of the Russian Federation against the Republic of Georgia” and states that „when the Russian Federation justifies the military aggression with the need to protect Russian citizens, it is using arguments identical to those used by the National Socialist Germany when it attacked its neighbours Czechoslovakia Czechoslovakia Czechoslovakia or Czecho-Slovakia was a sovereign state in Central Europe which existed from October 1918, when it declared its independence from the Austro-Hungarian Empire, until 1992...  and Poland Poland Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...  and crushed their independence. The return to such argumentation causes serious anxiety about world peace.” The Riigikogu calls on the international community „to assist Georgia in every way possible”. The president of Estonia, Toomas Hendrik Ilves Toomas Hendrik Ilves Toomas Hendrik Ilves is the fourth and current President of Estonia. He is a former diplomat and journalist, was the leader of the Social Democratic Party in the 1990s and later a member of the European Parliament... , said on Thursday that Russia's strike into Georgia should persuade NATO urgently to give Georgia and Ukraine membership of the alliance, Reuters reports.
	Finnish Finland Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...  Foreign Minister Alexander Stubb Alexander Stubb Cai-Göran Alexander Stubb is a Finnish politician and Minister for Foreign Affairs from 4 April 2008 to 22 June 2011... , also serving as the OSCE chairman-in-office, has been in contact with both Tbilisi and Tskhinvali, urging the parties to stop any military action and to try and restore direct talks instead. He has travelled to the region with the French foreign minister.
	The French Foreign Minister Minister of Foreign Affairs (France) Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs ), is France's foreign affairs ministry, with the headquarters located on the Quai d'Orsay in Paris close to the National Assembly of France. The Minister of Foreign and European Affairs in the government of France is the cabinet minister responsible for...  Bernard Kouchner Bernard Kouchner Bernard Kouchner is a French politician, diplomat, and doctor. He is co-founder of Médecins Sans Frontières and Médecins du Monde...  said ""Don't ask us who's good and who's bad here. We shouldn't make any moral judgments on this war. Stopping the war, that's what we're interested in." France has been trying to urge both sides reach a ceasefire.
Georgia (country)	Georgia claimed that the attack on South Ossetia was a response to Ossetian shelling of Georgian villages and a massive Russian deployment into the region. President Mikheil Saakashvili Mikheil Saakashvili Mikheil Saakashvili is a Georgian politician, the third and current President of Georgia and leader of the United National Movement Party.Involved in the national politics since 1995, Saakashvili became president on 25 January 2004 after President Eduard Shevardnadze resigned in a November 2003...  also denied the Georgian troops destroyed Tskhinvali, saying that Russian aircraft had bombed the city to prevent them from advancing. Brigadier General Mamuka Kurashvili Mamuka Kurashvili Mamuka Kurashvili is a brigadier general of the Georgian army and Deputy Chief of Joint Staff of the Georgian Armed Forces since May 7, 2009... , commander of Georgian peacekeepers in South Ossetia, stated that Georgian troops were moving to "establish constitutional order in the Ossetian region". After Russia intervened, the government of Georgia released a statement calling for international intervention.
	German Chancellor Angela Merkel Angela Merkel Angela Dorothea Merkel is the current Chancellor of Germany . Merkel, elected to the Bundestag from Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, has been the chairwoman of the Christian Democratic Union since 2000, and chairwoman of the CDU-CSU parliamentary coalition from 2002 to 2005.From 2005 to 2009 she led a...  said she had "to say that I found some of Russia's actions disproportionate and in particular think the presence of Russian troops in Georgia proper is not sensible. Russian troops should withdraw from central areas in Georgia." But she acknowledged some of the Russian actions were reasonable. "Both sides are probably to blame," she said. Reactions from the ruling coalition were mixed. Foreign Minister Steinmeier Frank-Walter Steinmeier Frank-Walter Steinmeier is a German politician of the Social Democratic Party of Germany , and currently the leader of the opposition in the Bundestag. Steinmeier was a close aide of Chancellor Gerhard Schröder, serving as Chief of Staff in the German Chancellery from 1999 to 2005...  has stated being "appalled by the escalation of violence" and demanded that "all combat has to be ceased immediately" on 8 August. He urged the international community to prevent "tensions, violence and looming war" from "spreading throughout the Caucasus". German Germany Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...  deputy foreign minister, Gernot Erler accused Georgia of violating international law by breaking a 1992 ceasefire agreement with Russia. He called it "a question of a violation of international law". Erler acknowledged prior provocation of South Ossetia's separatists, but said he understood Russia's reaction. Eckart von Klaeden Eckart von Klaeden Eckart Peter Hans von Klaeden is a German politician of the Christian Democratic Union, serving as Minister of State at the German Chancellery since 28 October 2009... , foreign policy spokesman for the Christian Democratic Union Christian Democratic Union (Germany) The Christian Democratic Union of Germany is a Christian democratic and conservative political party in Germany. It is regarded as on the centre-right of the German political spectrum... , said Russia was "equality guilty" for the current escalation. Former German Chancellor Gerhard Schröder Gerhard Schröder Gerhard Fritz Kurt Schröder is a German politician, and was Chancellor of Germany from 1998 to 2005. A member of the Social Democratic Party of Germany , he led a coalition government of the SPD and the Greens. Before becoming a full-time politician, he was a lawyer, and before becoming Chancellor...  acknowledged in an interview with SPIEGEL Spiegel Spiegel is German, Yiddish, and Dutch for "mirror". More specifically, it may refer to:* Der Spiegel , the weekly German magazine** Spiegel scandal, a 1962 German political scandal, named after the Der Spiegel magazine...  that the conflict was triggered by Georgia's invasion of South Ossetia. When asked if he though American military advisors stationed in Tbilisi encouraged Georgia to launch its attack he responded, "I wouldn't go that far. But everyone knows that these US military advisors in Georgia exist – a deployment that I've never considered particularly intelligent. And it would have been strange if these experts had not had any information. Either they were extremely unprofessional or they were truly fooled, which is hard to imagine." He went on to say that "there have indeed been serious mistakes made by the West in its policy toward Russia." and describes Saakashvili as a "gambler" and is content with Russia not pursuing any annexational policies in the Caucasus. The German military attache in Moscow described the Russian military response in Georgia as "appropriate" in an internal document. "The extent of the use of military force by the Russian side appears – seen from here and despite reports to the contrary from Georgia and the picture conveyed by the media – not inappropriately high," Brigadier General Heinz G Wagner wrote on August 11.
	Foreign Minister Dora Bakoyannis Dora Bakoyannis Dora Bakoyannis , born Theodora Mitsotaki , is a Greek politician. From 2006 to 2009 she was Minister of Foreign Affairs of Greece, the highest position ever held by a woman in the Cabinet of Greece; she was also Chairperson-in-Office of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe in...  stated four targets to be aimed at: consistent observance of the ceasefire, a confirmed final ending of operations, a return to the previous status and the beginning of a substantive dialogue. She didn't side towards any party of the conflict while she both expressed support for Nicolas Sarkozy's efforts through EU, and talked of providing 100,000 euros to South Ossetian refugees. The Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs is in contact with Greek diaspora Greek diaspora The Greek diaspora, also known as Hellenic Diaspora or Diaspora of Hellenism, is a term used to refer to the communities of Greek people living outside the traditional Greek homelands, but more commonly in southeast Europe and Asia Minor...  members in Georgia from 9 August through the Greek embassy in Tblisi and Greek organisations in the country. Mr Kassimis, deputy minister of foreign affairs of Greece, made an announcement on 10 August in which he explained that the emergency committee of the ministry is active 24 hours a day and that there are 6 Greek families in South Ossetia but they face no problems from the violence, and 1 Greek family in Gori which is also okay. The political parties of Greece also made announcements: PASOK Panhellenic Socialist Movement The Panhellenic Socialist Movement , known mostly by its acronym PASOK , is one of the two major political parties in Greece. Founded on 3 September 1974 by Andreas Papandreou, in 1981 PASOK became Greece's first social democratic party to win a majority in parliament.The party is a socialist party...  called for peace, KKE blamed imperialism Imperialism Imperialism, as defined by Dictionary of Human Geography, is "the creation and/or maintenance of an unequal economic, cultural, and territorial relationships, usually between states and often in the form of an empire, based on domination and subordination." The imperialism of the last 500 years,...  for the war, and LAOS Popular Orthodox Rally The Popular Orthodox Rally or The People's Orthodox Rally , often abbreviated to ΛΑ.Ο.Σ as a pun on the Greek word for people, is a Greek party. According to its political program LA.O.S...  said that those who moved the Georgians in this way should be ashamed. (note: the current government party in Greece is Nea Dimokratia) On 14 August 2008 the Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced that a Greek diaspora member, Ivan Mihailidis, was killed in the capital of South Ossetia, while his 3 family members remain in the town, and that in Vladikavkaz there are 25 refugees that are members of the Greek diaspora or their families; the Greek government provided financial aid to the Greek diaspora families.
	The Iceland Iceland Iceland , described as the Republic of Iceland, is a Nordic and European island country in the North Atlantic Ocean, on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Iceland also refers to the main island of the country, which contains almost all the population and almost all the land area. The country has a population... ic Minister for Foreign Affairs Ingibjörg Sólrún Gísladóttir Ingibjörg Sólrún Gísladóttir Ingibjörg Sólrún Gísladóttir is an Icelandic politician from the Social Democratic Alliance, formerly Minister for Foreign Affairs 2007–2009 and leader of the Alliance 2005–2009.-Education:...  has in a statement from the Ministry called on the belligerents to preserve civilians and demands a quick end to the hostilities with a peaceful solution.
	The Foreign Minister of the Islamic Republic of Iran Manouchehr Mottaki Manouchehr Mottaki Manouchehr Mottaki is an Iranian politician and diplomat. He was the Iranian Minister of Foreign Affairs. Whilst technically appointed by Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, he is considered to be closer to more pragmatic conservative factions and during the 2005 presidential election, he was the campaign...  deemed a new cold war possible and predicts for the extra-regional powers the same fate they suffered in Afghanistan and Iraq, should they try to destabilise the Caucasus. Islamic Republic Foreign Ministry Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Iran) The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is an Iranian government ministry. The Minister for Foreign Affairs is the Cabinet member in charge....  spokesman Hassan Ghashghavi said: "The Islamic republic voices concern over the military conflicts in South Ossetia that have led to the killing of defenseless people and calls for an immediate halt to the clashes", he was also quoted as saying: "Iran is ready to offer any help ... under its principal policies of contributing to the establishment of peace and stability in the region".
	Irish Minister for Foreign Affairs Minister for Foreign Affairs (Ireland) The Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade is the senior minister at the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade in the Government of Ireland. Its headquarters are at Iveagh House, on St Stephen's Green in Dublin; "Iveagh House" is often used as a metonym for the department as a whole.The current... , Micheál Martin Micheál Martin Micheál Martin is an Irish politician who has been leader of Fianna Fáil since January 2011. He is a Teachta Dála for the Cork South Central constituency... , issued the following statement: "I am gravely concerned about recent violence in the Georgian region of South Ossetia and attacks elsewhere in Georgia. Ireland fully supports Georgian sovereignty and territorial integrity. I welcome the Georgian offer of a ceasefire and call on all parties to immediately accept this. Every effort must be made to keep the situation from escalating further. In this regard, the EU is working hard to find a solution to the current crisis. Ireland will be represented at an emergency General Affairs and External Relations Council in Brussels on Wednesday. The humanitarian crisis in the country is worsening, with many casualties and refugees from the fighting. Ireland stands ready to contribute to relief efforts there. In this difficult time, my Department has kept in close contact with the Irish community in Georgia, most of whom have now left the country. I would urge anyone visiting Georgia to exercise extreme caution."
	The Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs released the following statement on 10 August 2008: "Israel is following with great concern the developments in South Ossetia and Abkhazia, and hopes the violence will end. Israel recognises the territorial integrity of Georgia and calls for a peaceful solution."
	Italian Minister of Foreign Affairs Italian Minister of Foreign Affairs As in most countries, in Italy the Minister of Foreign Affairs, which is the head of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, is one of the most important ministerial positions...  Franco Frattini said "We cannot create an anti-Russia coalition in Europe, and on this point we are close to Putin's position" he also stressed that Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi was a close ally of Prime Minister Vladimir Putin of Russia. On 8 August, the Italian Government issued a statement reporting that "In close coordination with its European Union and Atlantic partners, the Italian Government is following the crisis situation that has developed in South Ossetia with grave concern" and that "Italy calls on all parties to bring an immediate end to the violence and reach a lasting cessation of hostilities. It strongly encourages a resumption of negotiations for a political solution to the problem with due respect for Georgia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity". Later, on 10 August, after contacts with the US Secretary of State, the French Foreign Minister and the Finnish Minister for Foreign Affairs, the Italian Minister of Foreign Affairs Italian Minister of Foreign Affairs As in most countries, in Italy the Minister of Foreign Affairs, which is the head of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, is one of the most important ministerial positions...  reiterated this invitation. In a 11 August interview with the La Stampa La Stampa La Stampa is one of the best-known, most influential and most widely sold Italian daily newspapers. Published in Turin, it is distributed in Italy and other European nations. The current owner is the Fiat Group.-History:...  newspaper, the Italian Foreign Ministry reported about the direct involvement of Silvio Berlusconi Silvio Berlusconi Silvio Berlusconi , also known as Il Cavaliere – from knighthood to the Order of Merit for Labour which he received in 1977 – is an Italian politician and businessman who served three terms as Prime Minister of Italy, from 1994 to 1995, 2001 to 2006, and 2008 to 2011. Berlusconi is also the... , Prime Minister of Italy Prime minister of Italy The Prime Minister of Italy is the head of government of the Italian Republic... : "Sarkozy phoned Putin in his capacity as current President of the European Union, and 10 minutes later he phoned Berlusconi. ‘Silvio, you speak to Vladimir too’, he said, ‘explain that we’re not anti-Russian and we all want Moscow to be close to the EU’. In his conversation with Berlusconi, Putin reiterated his position: that Russia had every right to intervene in Georgia”, and made a reference about an eventual deployment of Italian troops: "If, after his meetings in Tbilisi and Moscow, Kouchner submits a proposal to the European Council of Foreign Ministers on Wednesday, and it’s approved, we’ll take it into consideration. There are a lot of ‘ifs’, and we’d need in any case to redistribute our forces, which are finite, by redeploying them from other international missions. Humanitarian aid for South Ossetia, on the other hand, is ready as of now".
	The Japanese Foreign Ministry expressed their condolences in connection with armed conflict and called on all parties to the conflict to cease hostilities and sit at the negotiating table. The Ministry also reaffirmed Japan's commitment to Georgia's territorial integrity.
	Following Vladimir Putin's remarks, the President of Kazakhstan President of Kazakhstan President of Kazakhstan is the head of state, supreme commander-in-chief and holder of the highest office within the Kazakhstan. The authorities of this position are described in special section of Constitution of Kazakhstan.... , Nursultan Nazarbayev Nursultan Nazarbayev Nursultan Abishuly Nazarbayev has served as the President of Kazakhstan since the nation received its independence in 1991, after the fall of the Soviet Union... , said "The Georgian leadership was not right when it failed to inform [other nations] on its actions toward South Ossetia and about higher tensions taking place there". Interfax also reported that Nazarbayev "agreed with Putin's view that countries of the Commonwealth of Independent States should make an assessment of the situation and undertake efforts to halt it".
	On 14 August, the Latvian parliament Saeima Saeima Saeima is the parliament of the Republic of Latvia. It is a unicameral parliament consisting of 100 members who are elected by proportional representation, with seats allocated to political parties which gain at least 5% of the popular vote. Elections are scheduled to be held once every four years,...  issued an official statement announcing that it "condemns Russia’s military attack on Georgia and expresses its condolences to the relatives of the deceased. The Saeima considers that Russia has violated Georgia’s national sovereignty and the state’s inviolability by conducting military attacks on Georgia’s civilian and military objects. These actions create concerns about the security, territorial inviolability and independence of every country that is Russia’s neighbour." Saeima states that "Russia’s peace-keeping mission in Georgia has failed; not only border conflicts have remained unresolved, but disproportionate hostilities have been provoked causing the death of civilians and significantly damaging Georgia’s civilian and military infrastructure" and calls the member states of NATO "to assess the new security situation which has emerged in the world after the Russian-Georgian conflict and see to it that the EU and NATO find solutions that would strengthen and guarantee the future security of all the neighbouring states of Russia."
Moldova	Moldovan President President of Moldova The President of the Republic of Moldova is the head of state of Moldova.-Description of the post:According to the Article 77 of the Constitution of Moldova , the President of Moldova is the head of the State and represents the State and is the guarantor of national sovereignty, independence, of...  Vladimir Voronin Vladimir Voronin Vladimir Nicolaevici Voronin is a Moldovan politician. He was the third President of Moldova from 2001 until 2009 and has been the First Secretary of the Party of Communists of the Republic of Moldova since 1994...  called on the European Union to help find a peaceful way out of the conflict.
Nicaragua	Nicaraguan President President of Nicaragua The position of President of Nicaragua was created in the Constitution of 1854. From 1825 until the Constitution of 1838 the title of the position was known as Head of State and from 1838 to 1854 as Supreme Director .-Heads of State of Nicaragua within the Federal Republic of Central America...  Daniel Ortega Daniel Ortega José Daniel Ortega Saavedra is a Nicaraguan politician and revolutionary, currently serving as the 83rd President of Nicaragua, a position that he has held since 2007. He previously served as the 79th President, between 1985 and 1990, and for much of his life, has been a leader in the Sandinista...  announced that his country would formally recognise the independence of South Ossetia and Abkhazia, and welcomed them as "the newest members of the world's community of independent nations." Ortega want on to claim that NATO member states wanted to surround and disintegrate Russia and that they had "used the Georgian government in an operation typical of those launched by the Nazi army."
	Dutch prime minister Prime Minister of the Netherlands The Prime Minister of the Netherlands is the chairman of the Council of Ministers of the Netherlands. He is the de facto head of government of the Netherlands and coordinates the policy of the government...  Jan-Peter Balkenende spoke with Vladimir Putin Vladimir Putin Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin served as the second President of the Russian Federation and is the current Prime Minister of Russia, as well as chairman of United Russia and Chairman of the Council of Ministers of the Union of Russia and Belarus. He became acting President on 31 December 1999, when...  and Nicolas Sarkozy Nicolas Sarkozy Nicolas Sarkozy is the 23rd and current President of the French Republic and ex officio Co-Prince of Andorra. He assumed the office on 16 May 2007 after defeating the Socialist Party candidate Ségolène Royal 10 days earlier....  in Beijing Beijing Beijing , also known as Peking , is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world, with a population of 19,612,368 as of 2010. The city is the country's political, cultural, and educational center, and home to the headquarters for most of China's...  where he expressed his concerns on the situation. He pointed out the importance of preventing as much violence as possible and how there should be work on achieving stabilisation.
	New Zealand Prime Minister Prime Minister of New Zealand The Prime Minister of New Zealand is New Zealand's head of government consequent on being the leader of the party or coalition with majority support in the Parliament of New Zealand...  Helen Clark Helen Clark Helen Elizabeth Clark, ONZ is a New Zealand political figure who was the 37th Prime Minister of New Zealand for three consecutive terms from 1999 to 2008...  released a statement from the Beehive Beehive (building) The Beehive is the common name for the Executive Wing of the New Zealand Parliament Buildings, located at the corner of Molesworth Street and Lambton Quay, Wellington...  saying “New Zealand New Zealand New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...  is deeply concerned about the hostilities and loss of life in South Ossetia and the ramifications for regional stability and the New Zealand Government calls on all parties to exercise restraint. We call for an immediate ceasefire and a resumption of negotiations to end the conflict... We urge all parties to continue to discuss and seek to resolve this matter through the good offices of the United Nations"
	Jens Stoltenberg Jens Stoltenberg is a Norwegian politician, leader of the Norwegian Labour Party and the current Prime Minister of Norway. Having assumed office on 17 October 2005, Stoltenberg previously served as Prime Minister from 2000 to 2001.... , Prime Minister of Norway Prime Minister of Norway The Prime Minister of Norway is the political leader of Norway and the Head of His Majesty's Government. The Prime Minister and Cabinet are collectively accountable for their policies and actions to the Sovereign, to Stortinget , to their political party, and ultimately the...  has said "We recognise the sovereignty of Georgia. This conflict must be handled at the negotiation table, not the battle field."
	On request of the President of Georgia, President of the Republic of Poland has provided the website of the President of Poland for dissemination of information. Chairman of the Council of Ministers Donald Tusk informed journalists at a press conference about actions undertaken by the government so far as regards the Georgian crisis. He said that a team had been established to coordinate actions of the Polish government and the President in connection with the situation in Caucasus. The head of government also asked French President Nicolas Sarkozy to convene the European Council session. In the Prime Minister’s opinion, a quick reaction of the European Union and NATO is necessary in order to work out truce. This is all the more important – he said – that signals have appeared that Russian activeness on the Ossetia and Georgia borderline has not diminished but, on the contrary, is growing. “The most important thing Polish diplomacy can do today is to effectively mobilise the European Union and NATO,” the head of government said. Piotr Paszkowski, Press Spokesman of Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Republic of the Republic of Poland "The Ministry of Foreign Affairs expresses serious concern about the development of the situation in the South Ossetia region of Georgia. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs considers the infringement of Georgian territorial integrity by foreign military forces to be unacceptable. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs appeals to both sides in the conflict to immediately cease military action and return to negotiations. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs underlines the need to ensure the safe functioning of international organisations, in particular the OSCE and the International Red Cross, and to ensure the evacuation of the civilian population from zones affected by fighting. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs calls on countries and international organisations engaged in the process of resolving the conflict in the South Ossetia in Georgia to take action immediately to normalise the situation with respect for the territorial integrity of Georgia."
	The Portuguese Government released a statement, which said that the Portuguese government wants an "immediate cease fire" and that supports the European Union European Union The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...  and the OSCE in anything they do about this crisis. He also said that Portugal is available to send troops to the region, in a peace keeping mission.
	Traian Băsescu Traian Basescu Traian Băsescu is the current President of Romania. After serving as the mayor of Bucharest from June 2000 until December 2004, he was elected president in the Romanian Presidential Elections of 2004 and inaugurated on December 20, 2004... , President of Romania President of Romania The President of Romania is the head of state of Romania. The President is directly elected by a two-round system for a five-year term . An individual may serve two terms...  has said (9 August 2008 official press release) "... Romania reaffirms the need to respect sovereignty and territorial integrity of Georgia. ... Romania makes a call to all parties to show responsibility and to cease hostilities immediately in order to create conditions for negotiations to guarantee peace and stability in the region". He promised that "Romania will join the efforts of the European Union and NATO, contributing its own expertise to promote a negotiated solution that will bring stability in the South Caucasus." He also stated that "In Kosovo, so-called collective rights were put ahead of a country's integrity. Now see what is happening in southern Caucasus. The development is that territorial integrity is stepped over in the name of protecting minority rights. You cannot have that." Furthermore, on the early hours of 14 August a group of protestors representing a number of non-governamental organisations started a peaceful demonstration supporting Georgia Georgia (country) Georgia is a sovereign state in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, it is bounded to the west by the Black Sea, to the north by Russia, to the southwest by Turkey, to the south by Armenia, and to the southeast by Azerbaijan. The capital of...  in front of the Embassy of the Russian Federation in Bucharest Bucharest Bucharest is the capital municipality, cultural, industrial, and financial centre of Romania. It is the largest city in Romania, located in the southeast of the country, at , and lies on the banks of the Dâmbovița River.... . The Romanian Supreme Council of National Defense Supreme Council of National Defense (Romania) The Supreme Council of National Defense is the autonomous administrative authority in Romania, invested by the Constitution with the task of organizing coordinating, in a unitary fashion, the activities related to the defense of the country and national security.-Control:The activity of the...  also decided to send humanitarian help to Georgia. Russia's ambassador in Romania, Alexander Churilin, criticized the reaction of the local press in an open letter, also stating that Romanian weapons were found in Georgia. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement on 15th of August which recognized the fact that Romanian-made infantry weapons and ammunition were delivered to Georgia, but in compliance to international law.
	Russia stated that it moved to protect Ossetian civilians and Russian peacekeepers in South Ossetia, and accused Georgia of genocide. Russia claimed that its troops were sent in to reinforce peace in the region. On 28 August 2008, Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin Vladimir Putin Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin served as the second President of the Russian Federation and is the current Prime Minister of Russia, as well as chairman of United Russia and Chairman of the Council of Ministers of the Union of Russia and Belarus. He became acting President on 31 December 1999, when...  accused U.S. President George W. Bush George W. Bush George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....  of orchestrating the Georgian invasion of South Ossetia in order to get the Republican Party Republican Party (United States) The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S... 's 2008 U.S. presidential candidate Senator John McCain John McCain John Sidney McCain III is the senior United States Senator from Arizona. He was the Republican nominee for president in the 2008 United States election....  into the White House White House The White House is the official residence and principal workplace of the president of the United States. Located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, D.C., the house was designed by Irish-born James Hoban, and built between 1792 and 1800 of white-painted Aquia sandstone in the Neoclassical... .
	During a meeting with Prime Minister Prime Minister of Russia The Chairman of the Government of the Russian Federation The use of the term "Prime Minister" is strictly informal and is not allowed for by the Russian Constitution and other laws....  Vladimir Putin Vladimir Putin Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin served as the second President of the Russian Federation and is the current Prime Minister of Russia, as well as chairman of United Russia and Chairman of the Council of Ministers of the Union of Russia and Belarus. He became acting President on 31 December 1999, when...  the Secretary of the Saudi National Security Council Bandar bin Sultan Bandar bin Sultan Bandar bin Sultan bin Abdul-Aziz Al Saud is a prince of the Saudi royal family and was Saudi Arabia's ambassador to the United States from 1983 to 2005. He was appointed Secretary-General of the National Security Council by King Abdullah on 16 October 2005...  told that King Abdullah Abdullah of Saudi Arabia Abdullah bin Abdul-Aziz Al Saud, Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, is the King of Saudi Arabia. He succeeded to the throne on 1 August 2005 upon the death of his half-brother, King Fahd. When Crown Prince, he governed Saudi Arabia as regent from 1998 to 2005...  and the whole leadership of the country had full understanding for the actions of the Russian side in South Ossetia.
	Serbian Prime Minister Mirko Cvetković Mirko Cvetkovic Mirko Cvetković is a Serbian economist and the Prime Minister of Serbia as well as the Minister of Finance.-Biography:...  expressed the concern about the humanitarian crisis resulting from the conflicts. He pointed out that the government of Serbia is sorry about the loss of lives and condemns any kind of violence against civilians and called for the cessation of conflicts. Also, he hailed peaceful efforts and attempts to end the crisis through negotiations. Foreign Minister Vuk Jeremić Vuk Jeremic Vuk Jeremić is a Serbian politician and the current Minister of Foreign Affairs in the Government of Serbia. He was sworn in on May 15, 2007 and reelected on July 7, 2008.-Education:Jeremić was born in Belgrade in 1975 to Miško Jeremić and Sena Buljubašić...  commented on situation by comparing the situation to the one in Kosovo by saying that Kosovo "set a dangerous precedent for the solution of problems all over the world". He also criticised the Georgian leadership for taking nonpeaceful measures against the separatist region - "the conflict in the Caucusus has shown the dangers of the militaristic approach to problem solving" and added that "Serbia’s approach will be different, based on legal grounds and peaceful, which means seeking the opinion of the International Court of Justice." Oliver Ivanović, State Secretary of the Ministry for Kosovo and Metohija, stated that "The question of Kosovo Kosovo Kosovo is a region in southeastern Europe. Part of the Ottoman Empire for more than five centuries, later the Autonomous Province of Kosovo and Metohija within Serbia...  was didactic and inspirational for South Ossetia, so that they wanted to further strain the relations and define their position, which is understandable. Georgia has tried to solve the issue by using violence just as Serbia tried to do it in 1999. Again as in the case of Kosovo, the politics of double standards will come out in the United Nations. Countries that have recognised the independence of Kosovo are now looking for an argument that Kosovo is a "special case", which is a complete nonsense. When one goes into the violation of the international law and disregard of the sovereignty of states, as it was done in the case of Kosovo, they can expect the possibility that such a recipe will be applied in all other situations".
	Slovakia's Prime Minister Robert Fico Robert Fico Robert Fico served as the Prime Minister of Slovakia from July 4, 2006 to July 8, 2010.He is the leader of the left-wing party Direction – Social Democracy . The party won the parliamentary elections in 2006, receiving approximately 30 percent of the cast votes...  stated that he agreed with Slovakia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs in that all parties of the conflict must lay down their weapons. However, he also identified Georgia as the provocateur of the conflict and said that while Russia's reaction was forceful, he rejects "such a black and white perception, according to which one side (Georgia) is good and the others (Russia, Ossetia, Abkhazia) are bad"
	Miguel Ángel Moratinos Miguel Ángel Moratinos Miguel Ángel Moratinos Cuyaubé is a Spanish diplomat and politician, a member of the Socialist Workers' Party and member of Congress where he represents Córdoba.... , Minister for Foreign Affairs, stated that it is "regrettable" that Georgians and Russians violate the Olympic truce. He also called the EU to send a message to both sides to start the "political and diplomatic dialogue" in order to achieve "peace and stability".
	Swedish Prime minister Prime Minister of Sweden The Prime Minister is the head of government in the Kingdom of Sweden. Before the creation of the office of a Prime Minister in 1876, Sweden did not have a head of government separate from its head of state, namely the King, in whom the executive authority was vested...  Fredrik Reinfeldt Fredrik Reinfeldt John Fredrik Reinfeldt is the Prime Minister of Sweden, leader of the liberal conservative Moderate Party and former President of the European Council...  criticised Russia's attacks on Georgia, calling them "Russian aggressions in violation of international conventions.". Swedish Minister for Foreign Affairs Minister for Foreign Affairs (Sweden) The Minister for Foreign Affairs is the foreign minister of Sweden and the head of the Ministry for Foreign Affairs.The office was instituted in 1809 as a result of the constitutional Instrument of Government promulgated in the same year. Until 1876 the office was called Prime Minister for Foreign...  and Chairman of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe Carl Bildt Carl Bildt , Honorary KCMG is a Swedish politician, diplomat and nobleman. Formerly Prime Minister of Sweden from 1991 to 1994 and leader of the liberal conservative Moderate Party from 1986 to 1999, Bildt has served as Swedish Minister for Foreign Affairs since 6 October 2006...  said in a statement: "The way in which the situation in South Ossetia has deteriorated is cause for profound concern. It is extremely important that all those involved show restraint and play their part in bringing about a political solution," ... "I am particularly concerned about the impact of the conflict on civilians. Georgia and Russia are dangerously close to war and there is a great risk of this spreading to other parts of the Caucasus." Bildt further stated that the crisis is due to "provocations from the South Ossetian side" and that the Georgian forces are trying to "restore the constitutional order", and that the Russian bombing of Georgia is "very worrying and will demand a forceful reaction from the United Nations and the European Union." "No state has the right to intervene militarily in the territory of another state simply because there are individuals there with a passport issued by that state or who are nationals of the state. Attempts to apply such a doctrine have plunged Europe into war in the past... And we have reason to remember how Hitler used this very doctrine little more than half a century ago to undermine and attack substantial parts of central Europe," Bildt said in a statement. On 12 August Bildt said in a telephone interview from the Georgian capital Tbilisi that: "Russia's military attacks on Georgia will damage both Moscow's and Prime Minister Vladimir Putin's image abroad" ... "Russia will sooner or later have to pay a high price for this," .... "It changes Russia's image, there is no doubt about it," he said, adding that the attacks bore witness to "a strong element of revenge, particularly from Prime Minister Putin." On 18 August, Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt Fredrik Reinfeldt John Fredrik Reinfeldt is the Prime Minister of Sweden, leader of the liberal conservative Moderate Party and former President of the European Council...  halted all exercises and military ties between Sweden Sweden Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....  and Russia Russia Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects... , saying that "the Russian invasion of Georgia is unacceptable and a crime against international law. The Russian action has changed [our view] of Russia as an international partner." Following the Russian recognition of South Ossetia, Carl Bildt stated that "South Ossetian independence is a joke. We are talking about a smugglers paradise of 60,000 people financed by the Russian security services. No one can seriously consider that as an independent state".
	Syrian President Bashar al-Assad Bashar al-Assad Bashar al-Assad is the President of Syria and Regional Secretary of the Ba'ath Party. His father Hafez al-Assad ruled Syria for 29 years until his death in 2000. Al-Assad was elected in 2000, re-elected in 2007, unopposed each time.- Early Life :...  accused the United States of applying "double standards" toward Abkhazia and South Ossetia, stating that the West "is ignoring for some reason the rights of the people of Abkhazia and South Ossetia." Assad also added: "In a situation when Georgia started the war, the position of Russia...was absolutely right." and described the Russian interference as a retaliation "to provocation by the Georgian side"
	Prime Minister Prime Minister of Turkey The Prime Minister of the Turkey is the head of government in Turkish politics. The prime minister is the leader of a political coalition in the Turkish parliament and the leader of the cabinet....  Recep Tayyip Erdoğan Recep Tayyip Erdogan Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has been Prime Minister of Turkey since 2003 and is chairman of the ruling Justice and Development Party , which holds a majority of the seats in the Grand National Assembly of Turkey. Erdoğan served as Mayor of Istanbul from 1994 to 1998. He graduated in 1981 from Marmara...  has said that the fighting is a grave concern for Turkey, which neighbours Georgia. Erdoğan has called for an immediate cease-fire and has said that he would call Georgian and Russian leaders to urge restraint if necessary. Later on that day, Turkey agreed to a Georgian request to supply 30-40 MW of electricity to Georgia. Prime Minister Prime Minister of Turkey The Prime Minister of the Turkey is the head of government in Turkish politics. The prime minister is the leader of a political coalition in the Turkish parliament and the leader of the cabinet....  Recep Tayyip Erdoğan Recep Tayyip Erdogan Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has been Prime Minister of Turkey since 2003 and is chairman of the ruling Justice and Development Party , which holds a majority of the seats in the Grand National Assembly of Turkey. Erdoğan served as Mayor of Istanbul from 1994 to 1998. He graduated in 1981 from Marmara...  went to Russia on 14 August to meet his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin Vladimir Putin Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin served as the second President of the Russian Federation and is the current Prime Minister of Russia, as well as chairman of United Russia and Chairman of the Council of Ministers of the Union of Russia and Belarus. He became acting President on 31 December 1999, when... . On 13 August, the Prime Minister of Turkey Prime Minister of Turkey The Prime Minister of the Turkey is the head of government in Turkish politics. The prime minister is the leader of a political coalition in the Turkish parliament and the leader of the cabinet....  Abdullah Gul Abdullah Gül Dr. Abdullah Gül, GCB is the 11th and current President of the Republic of Turkey, serving in that office since 28 August 2007. He previously served for four months as Prime Minister from 2002-03, and as Minister of Foreign Affairs from 2003-07....  had a phone conversation with Russian President Dmitry Medvedev Dmitry Medvedev Dmitry Anatolyevich Medvedev is the third President of the Russian Federation.Born to a family of academics, Medvedev graduated from the Law Department of Leningrad State University in 1987. He defended his dissertation in 1990 and worked as a docent at his alma mater, now renamed to Saint...  in which he highly appraised Medvedev’s decisions, including those taken together with the European Union, and expressed Turkey’s willingness to facilitate the implementation of the conflict resolution principles that all the parties had agreed to. He also expressed his profound condolences at the mass deaths of civilians in South Ossetia and his hope for swift normalisation of the situation.
	The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Ukraine) The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine is the Ukrainian government ministry which oversees the foreign relations of Ukraine.-Historical overlook:...  called to all sides to stop fire immediately and to start solving the problem by negotiations. Ukraine has confirmed its position of support of Georgian territorial integrity and sovereignty. It was stated that Ukraine is ready to make its contribution to peaceful resolution of the region's conflict within the framework of international diplomatic efforts. Ukrainian president Viktor Yushchenko Viktor Yushchenko Viktor Andriyovych Yushchenko is a former President of Ukraine. He took office on January 23, 2005, following a period of popular unrest known as the Orange Revolution... , has sent his special representative Kostyantyn Yelisyeyev to Tbilisi as a result of phone conversation of Georgian President Saakashvili. The aims of the visit are consultations with Georgian authorities and representatives of OSCE, investigation of the situation in the region and presenting of the Ukrainian position on peaceful resolution of conflict. The Foreign Ministry also called on Russia to remove its troops from Georgia and pressure the "separatist regime" to negotiations. Ukraine has stated that it reserves the right to bar Russian warships dispatched to the Georgian coast from returning to their base in the Ukrainian city in Sevastopol. Ukraine has sent a plane of the Ukrainian Ministry of Defence to Georgia with 30 tons of humanitarian aid for Georgians. President of Ukraine Viktor Yushchenko Viktor Yushchenko Viktor Andriyovych Yushchenko is a former President of Ukraine. He took office on January 23, 2005, following a period of popular unrest known as the Orange Revolution...  visited Tbilisi on 12 August and presented a speech on the main square of Georgian capital before 200 thousands crowd. He stated that came here to support friendly Georgian nation in its aspiration to freedom and independence. He confirmed absolute solidarity with Georgia. "Freedom is worthy to fight for it. We came here to prove your sovereignty, territorial integrity and independence. That is our values. You never be alone. ... There are millions of us." On 15 August, Ukraine brought next 30 tons of humanitarian aid for Georgia.It was already 4th fligft of plane of the Emergency Ministry of Ukraine. The aid was given to the representatives of Georgian government in Tbilisi. At the moment, 132 tons of humanitarian aid already sent to Georgia by Ukrainian Emergency Ministry. On 13 August 2008 Prime Minister Prime Minister of Ukraine The Prime Minister of Ukraine is Ukraine's head of government presiding over the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine, which is the highest body of the executive branch of the Ukrainian government....  Yulia Tymoshenko Yulia Tymoshenko Yulia Volodymyrivna Tymoshenko , née Grigyan , born 27 November 1960, is a Ukrainian politician. She was the Prime Minister of Ukraine from 24 January to 8 September 2005, and again from 18 December 2007 to 4 March 2010. She placed third in Forbes Magazine's List of The World's 100 Most Powerful...  released a Press Release which stated "We stand in solidarity with the democratically-elected leadership of Georgia. Georgia's sovereignty and territorial integrity must be respected". A number of political parties have condemned Georgia's actions in South Ossetia. Viktor Yanukovych Viktor Yanukovych Viktor Fedorovych Yanukovych is a Ukrainian politician who has been the President of Ukraine since February 2010.Yanukovych served as the Governor of Donetsk Oblast from 1997 to 2002... , in 2008 the leader of the oppositional Party of Regions Party of Regions The Party of Regions is an Ukrainian political party created on October 26, 1997 just prior to the 1998 Ukrainian parliamentary elections under the name of Party of Regional Revival of Ukraine. It was reformed later in 2001 when the party united with several others...  has stated that Ukraine should recognise the independence of South Ossetia and Abkhazia Abkhazia Abkhazia is a disputed political entity on the eastern coast of the Black Sea and the south-western flank of the Caucasus.Abkhazia considers itself an independent state, called the Republic of Abkhazia or Apsny... . He stated that the situation in these regions should be treated similarly to that of Kosovo Kosovo Kosovo is a region in southeastern Europe. Part of the Ottoman Empire for more than five centuries, later the Autonomous Province of Kosovo and Metohija within Serbia... . Yanukovych also believes that the double standards of the West Western world The Western world, also known as the West and the Occident , is a term referring to the countries of Western Europe , the countries of the Americas, as well all countries of Northern and Central Europe, Australia and New Zealand...  are unacceptable (however, after being elected President Yanukovych said on 4 June 2010: "I have never recognized Abkhazia, South Ossetia or Kosovo Kosovo Kosovo is a region in southeastern Europe. Part of the Ottoman Empire for more than five centuries, later the Autonomous Province of Kosovo and Metohija within Serbia... 's independence. This is a violation of international law"). The Communist Party Communist Party of Ukraine The Communist Party of Ukraine is a political party in Ukraine, currently led by Petro Symonenko.The party fights the Ukrainian national self-determination by identifying any Ukrainian national parties as the National-Fascist ones The Communist Party of Ukraine is a political party in Ukraine,...  also registered a draft resolution to recognise the two republics. On 4 September 2008 President Yushchenko threatened to dissolve 2008 Ukrainian political crisis The 2008 Ukrainian political crisis started after President Viktor Yushchenko's Our Ukraine–People's Self-Defense Bloc withdrew from the governing coalition following a vote on a bill to limit the President's powers in which the Prime Minister's Bloc Yulia Tymoshenko voted with the opposition...  parliament Verkhovna Rada The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine is Ukraine's parliament. The Verkhovna Rada is a unicameral parliament composed of 450 deputies, which is presided over by a chairman...  and call snap elections. One of the reasons he gave for this was that Prime Minister Tymoshenko party (BYuT) refused to adopt a resolution sharply condemning Russia's actions in Georgia. Tymoshenko said her position was in line with the EU`s and that she did not want to drag Ukraine into conflict.
	The Foreign and Commonwealth Office Foreign and Commonwealth Office The Foreign and Commonwealth Office, commonly called the Foreign Office or the FCO is a British government department responsible for promoting the interests of the United Kingdom overseas, created in 1968 by merging the Foreign Office and the Commonwealth Office.The head of the FCO is the...  states on its website that it is 'monitoring developments in Georgia following news that there has been heavy fighting between Georgian forces and South Ossetian separatists. We urge an immediate ceasefire in the fighting in South Ossetia and for a resumption of direct dialogue between all parties. ... The offer of a ceasefire by the Georgian government is very welcome. We now look to the Russian Government to accept this offer and agree to an immediate ceasefire, in line with its international commitments to respect Georgian territorial integrity.' On 9 August 2008, the British Foreign Secretary Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, commonly referred to as the Foreign Secretary, is a senior member of Her Majesty's Government heading the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and regarded as one of the Great Offices of State... , David Miliband David Miliband David Wright Miliband is a British Labour Party politician who has been the Member of Parliament for South Shields since 2001, and was the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs from 2007 to 2010. He is the elder son of the late Marxist theorist Ralph Miliband...  said I have today had a number of calls with international colleagues. There is widespread concern about the escalating violence in Georgia...British representatives on the ground and the media have reported that Russia has extended the fighting today well beyond South Ossetia, attacking the Georgian port of Poti,and the town of Gori, while Abkhaz forces have been shelling Georgian positions in the Upper Kodori valley. I deplore this. ... At the UN, the EU and the OSCE the UK will lend its strong support to all those committed to a swift resolution to the conflict.
	After the GMT 4:00 8 August UN Security Council meeting, U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Daniel Fried Daniel Fried Daniel Fried is a senior career diplomat of the United States who carries the rank of Ambassador. He is presently serving as a Special Envoy to facilitate the closing of the Guantanamo Bay detention camp located in Cuba. Previously, he was the top U.S. diplomat in Europe, and prior to that he was...  said that it appeared that the South Ossetians were the provokers of the violence. Fried said, "We have urged the Russians to urge their South Ossetian friends to pull back and show greater restraint. And we believe that the Russians ... are trying to do just that." White House spokesman Gordon Johndroe said on 8 August, "All sides should bring an immediate end to the violence and engage in direct talks to resolve this matter peacefully." Secretary of State United States Secretary of State The United States Secretary of State is the head of the United States Department of State, concerned with foreign affairs. The Secretary is a member of the Cabinet and the highest-ranking cabinet secretary both in line of succession and order of precedence...  Condoleezza Rice Condoleezza Rice Condoleezza Rice is an American political scientist and diplomat. She served as the 66th United States Secretary of State, and was the second person to hold that office in the administration of President George W. Bush...  later stated: "We call on Russia to cease attacks on Georgia by aircraft and missiles, respect Georgia's territorial integrity, and withdraw its ground combat forces from Georgian soil." A senior U.S. official reportedly said on 9 August 2008: "The response has been far disproportionate from whatever threat Russia was citing," the senior American official told reporters in a conference call. "We are calling for an immediate cease-fire and a stand down of all troops." President George W. Bush said the use of air power was a dangerous escalation. The US Vice President Dick Cheney Dick Cheney Richard Bruce "Dick" Cheney served as the 46th Vice President of the United States , under George W. Bush....  said on 10 August 2008: "Russian aggression must not go unanswered, and that its continuation would have serious consequences for its relations with the United States, as well as the broader international community." in an expression of U.S. solidarity with Georgia in the conflict with Russia President Bush said on 13 August that Secretary of State United States Secretary of State The United States Secretary of State is the head of the United States Department of State, concerned with foreign affairs. The Secretary is a member of the Cabinet and the highest-ranking cabinet secretary both in line of succession and order of precedence...  Condoleezza Rice Condoleezza Rice Condoleezza Rice is an American political scientist and diplomat. She served as the 66th United States Secretary of State, and was the second person to hold that office in the administration of President George W. Bush...  will head to Paris Paris Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...  to meet with French and European Council President of the European Council The President of the European Council is a principal representative of the European Union on the world stage, and the person presiding over and driving forward the work of the European Council...  President Nicolas Sarkozy Nicolas Sarkozy Nicolas Sarkozy is the 23rd and current President of the French Republic and ex officio Co-Prince of Andorra. He assumed the office on 16 May 2007 after defeating the Socialist Party candidate Ségolène Royal 10 days earlier....  to discuss the crisis, before heading to Tbilisi Tbilisi Tbilisi is the capital and the largest city of Georgia, lying on the banks of the Mt'k'vari River. The name is derived from an early Georgian form T'pilisi and it was officially known as Tiflis until 1936...  to express U.S. support for Georgia Georgia (country) Georgia is a sovereign state in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, it is bounded to the west by the Black Sea, to the north by Russia, to the southwest by Turkey, to the south by Armenia, and to the southeast by Azerbaijan. The capital of... . On 21 August US ambassador to Russia said that the initial Russian reaction to Georgia's attack was legitimate. The Pentagon The Pentagon The Pentagon is the headquarters of the United States Department of Defense, located in Arlington County, Virginia. As a symbol of the U.S. military, "the Pentagon" is often used metonymically to refer to the Department of Defense rather than the building itself.Designed by the American architect...  declared on 25 August 2008, that Russia had not met its obligations to withdraw troops from Georgia under the French-brokered ceasefire agreement. In his testimony before the Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on 4 August 2009, Assistant Secretary of State Philip H. Gordon still referred to the events as "the Russian invasion."
	The Uruguayan Ministry of Foreign Relations issued a press release on 14 August in which it expressed worry at the development of events in the Caucasus. It called for "respect for sovereignty, territorial integrity and respect for human rights to reach a peaceful solution in accord with the principles of International Law."
	On 10 August Pope Benedict XVI Pope Benedict XVI Benedict XVI is the 265th and current Pope, by virtue of his office of Bishop of Rome, the Sovereign of the Vatican City State and the leader of the Catholic Church as well as the other 22 sui iuris Eastern Catholic Churches in full communion with the Holy See...  expressed his hope that "military action will stop immediately and that they will abstain, in the name of their common Christian inheritance, from further clashes and violence." He also called on the international community to find "a peaceful and lasting solution."
	On 14 August, the Venezuelan government stated that they followed with concern the "unacceptable acts of violence perpetrated by the Georgian troops against the South Ossetian population" and that the conflict was "planned, set and ordered by the United States government". They also stated that the Russian forces acted legitimately, according to international treaties, in order to preserve the lives of South Ossetians and Russians. They also celebrated the steps done in favor of reestablishing peace and warned European countries to "not allow external actors putting at risk the stability of European continent and world peace".
	On 28 August, Vietnam closely follows situations in South Ossetia and Abkhazia, and supports settlement of international disputes via peaceful solutions. "Our persistent policy is to promote settlement of international disputes through peaceful solutions in line with international laws and the United Nations' Charter," Foreign Ministry spokesman Le Dung said at a regular press briefing.

Unrecognised/ partially recognised states and non-state entities

Entity Entity An entity is something that has a distinct, separate existence, although it need not be a material existence. In particular, abstractions and legal fictions are usually regarded as entities. In general, there is also no presumption that an entity is animate.An entity could be viewed as a set...	Response
Abkhazia	On 5 August, separatist Abkhazia's foreign minister, Sergey Shamba Sergey Shamba Sergei Miron-ipa Shamba is a former Prime Minister of Abkhazia, in office from 13 February 2010 until 27 September 2011. Before becoming Prime Minister, Shamba had been the long-time Minister for Foreign Affairs of Abkhazia - from 7 May 1997, with a half-year interruption in 2004, both under... , announced that Abkhazia's army Military of Abkhazia The Abkhazian Armed Forces is the military of Abkhazia.The Ministry of Defence and the General Staff of the Abkhazian armed forced were officially created on 12 October 1992, after the outbreak of the 1992-1993 war with Georgia. The basis of the armed forces was formed by the ethnic Abkhaz National...  may open a second front against Georgia if it launched a full-scale attack against Ossetia.
Caucasus Emirate Caucasus Emirate The Caucasus Emirate also known as the Caucasian Emirate is a self-proclaimed virtual state entity, partially successor to the Chechen Republic of Ichkeria and was officially announced on October 31, 2007 by former President of Ichkeria Dokka Umarov, who became the first Emir...	On 9 August, Movladi Udugov Movladi Udugov Movladi Saidarbievich Udugov was the First Deputy Prime Minister of the separatist Chechen Republic of Ichkeria... , rebel spokesman for the Caucasus Emirate, stated that "for the time being neither Tbilisi nor Washington have appealed to us with any requests or offers" to fight alongside Georgian forces against the Russian forces. Udugov also noted: "But I clearly can say that the command of the Caucasus Emirate is following with great interest the development of the situation."
Chechen Republic of Ichkeria	Usman Ferzauli, the Foreign Minister of the separatist Chechen Republic of Ichkeria, called for the international community to halt the Russian advance in Georgia, stating: "Based on this alarming situation, the leadership of the CRI calls on all peace-loving countries to show integrity and curb the aggressor, to prevent the escalation of military conflict."
Don Cossacks Don Cossacks Don Cossacks were Cossacks who settled along the middle and lower Don.- Etymology and origins :The Don Cossack Host was a frontier military organization from the end of the 16th until the early 20th century....	On 8 August (12:24 UTC), Viktor Vodolatskiy, the ataman Ataman Ataman was a commander title of the Ukrainian People's Army, Cossack, and haidamak leaders, who were in essence the Cossacks...  of the Don Cossacks Don Cossacks Don Cossacks were Cossacks who settled along the middle and lower Don.- Etymology and origins :The Don Cossack Host was a frontier military organization from the end of the 16th until the early 20th century....  Host, said that a "volunteer 429th independent motor rifle regiment" will be created to help the fight in South Ossetia and that 450 people were already signed up. Since then, hundreds of Don Cossack volunteers have been streaming across the border to fight against Georgia.
Republic of Kosovo	President of Kosovo President of Kosovo The President of the Republic of Kosovo is Head of State of the disputed Republic of Kosovo. The President of Kosovo is elected by the Assembly of Kosovo. The first post-war president, who served until his death in January 2006, was Ibrahim Rugova. His successor was Fatmir Sejdiu. When Sejdiu...  Fatmir Sejdiu Fatmir Sejdiu Fatmir Sejdiu is a politician from Kosovo. He was the leader of the Democratic League of Kosovo and was the first President of the Republic of Kosovo.-Early life and education:...  said that Kosovo cannot serve as an example for Russia to recognise South Ossetia or Abkhazia. He said "We have always stressed that Kosovo has special characteristics. That it is sui generis Sui generis Sui generis is a Latin expression, literally meaning of its own kind/genus or unique in its characteristics. The expression is often used in analytic philosophy to indicate an idea, an entity, or a reality which cannot be included in a wider concept.... and it cannot be used as a precedent for other conflict zones, areas or regions". He did not comment on Russia’s recognition of South Ossetia and Abkhazia, but said that Kosovo was "on the side of great world powers" on that issue.
Kuban Cossacks Kuban Cossacks Kuban Cossacks or Kubanians are Cossacks who live in the Kuban region of Russia. Most of the Kuban Cossacks are of descendants of two major groups who were re-settled in the Western Northern Caucasus during the Caucasus War in the late 18th century...	The Kuban Cossacks Kuban Cossacks Kuban Cossacks or Kubanians are Cossacks who live in the Kuban region of Russia. Most of the Kuban Cossacks are of descendants of two major groups who were re-settled in the Western Northern Caucasus during the Caucasus War in the late 18th century... , according to Khariton Yedziyev, expressed their readiness to help in the defence of South Ossetia.
Nagorno-Karabakh Republic	A number of public ministries in the republic released a joint statement: "The fragile peace in the Caucasus, obtained at the cost of irreplaceable losses and sacrifices, can collapse in an hour. The nations of the Caucacus and the whole region can come under the real threat of a new big war. We consider the effort to solve any conflict by force absolutely unallowable, and we call on the government of Georgia to immediately stop the fighting, which has already brought about numerous casualties among the peaceful population of South Ossetia. We call upon our colleagues and friends in Georgia, with whom we have worked together for many years and spent no small effort in order to keep the peace in the Caucasus, to join our call and demand that their government turns away from the politics of war and sits at the negotiating table.
North Ossetia-Alania	The North Ossetian president, Taimuraz Mamsurov Taimuraz Mamsurov Taymuraz Dzambekovich Mamsurov is the Head of the Republic of North Ossetia-Alania, Russia. He succeeded Alexander Dzasokhov, who voluntarily quit his post on May 31, 2005.- Biography :...  accompanied a convoy to the area and was party to a bombardment, surviving unharmed. Earlier, he told the Interfax news agency that hundreds of armed volunteers from North Ossetia were heading to the area of Tskhinvali.
Terek Cossacks	on 8 August, 06:16, Khariton Yedziyev, the ataman Ataman Ataman was a commander title of the Ukrainian People's Army, Cossack, and haidamak leaders, who were in essence the Cossacks...  of the Terek Cossacks, said that part of his regiment is already fighting in South Ossetia against Georgia, and that more volunteer regiments will be formed.
Transnistria	On 8 August, the separatist republic's Foreign Ministry: "The act was against a free democratic nation of South Ossetia... The Georgian government doesn't understand any logic but the logic of blood and violence... We don't exclude our government won't prevent volunteers to join the defense of the South Ossetian Republic".

Popular protests regarding 2008 South Ossetia war

Popular protests for peace were held throughout Europe and in the United States as the war unfolded.