Rice: Russia and Georgia Need to Cease Fire

Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, returning early from a vacation, said today that Russian and Georgian forces need to stop fighting, and that once that happens, there will be international efforts to facilitate a Russian withdrawal.

“It is very important now that all parties cease fire. The Georgians have agreed to a cease-fire. The Russians need to stop their military operations, as they have apparently said that they will, but those military operations really do now need to stop, because calm needs to be restored,” Rice said. “There then will be international efforts to facilitate the withdrawal of forces from the zone of conflict. We can then look to the issue of how to resolve the longstanding frozen conflicts of South Ossetia and Abkhazia.”

Rice also hinted at U.S. assistance in rebuilding areas torn by fighting.

“We are reviewing our options for humanitarian and reconstruction assistance to Georgia. But the most important thing right now is that these military operations need to stop,” she said.

Critics have accused Rice of failing to address the conflict, as her absence from public debate seemingly juxtaposed with the back-and-forth of public statements from presidential candidates Barack Obama and John McCain. Yesterday, the State Department had said Rice had made some 90 phone calls to relevant parties while on her vacation.

French negotiators have made some progress in talks with Russia, Rice said.

“I was earlier on the phone this morning with the Foreign Ministers of the G7, and on that phone call, Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner of France briefed us on the ongoing discussions between the French and the Russians, as well as the French and the Georgians,” Rice said. “I believe that they believe that they have made some progress, and we welcome that, and we certainly welcome the EU mediation.”