Russia Says It Is Ready To Negotiate With Georgia

Vitaly Churkin, Russian Ambassador to United Nations, speaks at a special Security Council Meeting regarding the situation in Georgia and South Ossetia at U.N. headquarters on Sunday, Aug. 10, 2008.(AP Photo/David Karp)

From The AP:

UNITED NATIONS (AP) — Russia declared itself ready to make peace with Georgia and U.N. officials confirmed Sunday that Georgia is prepared to negotiate with Russia by withdrawing troops from the breakaway province of South Ossetia and creating a safe travel zone.

The United Nations Security Council was meeting Sunday morning for the fourth time in as many days trying to resolve a conflict that began when U.S.-allied Georgia tried to control South Ossetia then said its troops had retreated in the face of Russia's tanks and aircraft.

Russia is "ready to put an end to the war," said Russian Ambassador Vitaly Churkin, who also accused the U.N. secretary-general's office of taking Georgia's side.

However, Russia also has deployed a naval squadron off the coast of Abkhazia, another separatist region in Georgia, and its aircraft bombed the outskirts of Tblisi, the Georgian capital.

Georgia's Foreign Ministry said its soldiers were observing a cease-fire on orders of the president and notified Russia's envoy to Tbilisi.

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Update: U.S., Russia Square Off at U.N. -- Wall Street Journal

My Comment: In the end, Georgia and it allies are going to be humiliated. Georgia will lose all rights to South Ossetia and Abkhazia, and its dream of joining Nato and the EU will be pushed back for decades.

All the diplomats in the U.N. are just trying to save face. But no one is fooled. Georgia has lost this war. The question now is how much of Georgia will still be Georgia when they divide up the territory.