US mulls Russia move

2008-09-18 14:05

Lachlan Carmichael

Washington - Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice is to deliver on Thursday what officials describe as a "significant" speech on US relations with Russia, as Washington considers further steps against Moscow for its actions in Georgia.

The State Department's number three, William Burns, told the Senate on Wednesday that the US government might go beyond decisions in recent weeks to suspend US-Russian military programmes and civil nuclear co-operation.

"We continue to review other options," Burns, the undersecretary for political affairs, told the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. He stressed that Washington sought to work closely with its European allies.

"It is important to reinforce for Russia the consequences of its actions in Georgia as a means of ensuring compliance with its commitments to President (Nicolas) Sarkozy" of France, Burns said.

In Moscow, Sarkozy signed a deal with Russian President Dmitry Medvedev on September 8 that called for Russian troop withdrawals to pre-August 6 positions and other actions to end the crisis.

Russia poured troops and armour into Georgia last month to repel a Georgian attack on the separatist region of South Ossetia, leading to a deep chill in Moscow's relations with the West.

Moscow has also recognised both South Ossetia and another breakaway Georgian region, Abkhazia.

'The international system'

The White House on Wednesday called on Russia to respect Georgia's territorial integrity and urged Moscow to pull its forces back to where they were before the conflict flared.

Burns, who served as US ambassador to Moscow until June, said that Rice spoke to Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov earlier this week to discuss compliance with the deal.

A senior State Department official told reporters meanwhile that Rice would on Thursday give "a significant speech about US-Russia relations as well as about Russia's place within the international system".

The speech will mention "the international system and its response to Russia", the official said, speaking on the condition of anonymity.

When asked if the speech would mention future possible measures or would be limited to the current responses of the international community, the official mentioned "future possible" measures.

Since mid-August, Rice has hinted at retaliatory steps for Moscow's "disproportionate" military action against Georgia.

Several US officials have since raised the possibility of suspending negotiations for admitting Russia to the World Trade Organisation (WTO).

Russia has paid an economic price

The WTO is due to meet in Geneva on Thursday to discuss Russia's bid to join the global trade body, a process that began in 1993, shortly after the collapse of the Soviet Union.

US officials have also spoken of possibly excluding Russia from the Group of Eight leading industrial nations and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.

In his Senate testimony, Burns did not discuss possible retaliatory steps but noted that Russia has paid an economic price for its invasion of Georgia, something which he said could bring possible political consequences later.

However, Burns added he did not know "how and when that is actually going to sink in".

Following Russian actions in Georgia, investor confidence has plummeted, capital has fled the country, and the Russian central bank has spent billions of its reserves to shore up a declining ruble, he said.

In addition to the WTO meeting and Rice's speech on Thursday, Nato defence ministers are to meet in London for talks overshadowed by Georgia's conflict with Russia and the effects it will have on the military alliance's future.

- SAPA