Bush says U.S. will not cast Georgians aside

President Bush on Friday offered words of encouragement to the people of war-torn Georgia and reiterated that Russia must respect the country’s territory and sovereignty.

“The United States and our allies stand with the people of Georgia and their democratically elected government,” Bush said from the White House.

{mosads}While the president stressed that a “contentious relationship with Russia is not in America’s interests, and a contentious relationship with America is not in Russia’s interests,” he noted that Russia has already done damage to its reputation around the world through its actions in the conflict over Georgia’s breakaway South Ossetia province.

“With its actions in recent days, Russia has damaged its credibility and its relations with the nations of the free world. Bullying and intimidation are not acceptable ways to conduct foreign policy in the 21st century,” Bush said. “Only Russia can decide whether it will now put itself back on the path of responsible nations or continue to pursue a policy that promises only confrontation and isolation.”

The president also stressed the importance of helping a country he called a “courageous democracy.”

“The people of Georgia have cast their lot with the free world, and we will not cast them aside,” Bush stated.