http://english.aljazeera.net/news/europe/2008/09/2008912143725299204.html
Russia: S Ossetia 'was our 9/11'
Medvedev said he would send Russian soldiers
into Georgia again if needed [AFP]
Dmitry Medvedev, Russia's president, has said Georgia's attack in
August on the pro-Russian breakaway region of South Ossetia was his country's
equivalent of the September 11 attacks on the United States in 2001.
The president made the comments at the annual meeting of the Valdai
Club, a group of political analysts and Russia experts, in Moscow on Friday.
He told attendees: "Immediately after the events in the Caucasus,
it occurred to me that August 8 was for us almost what 9/11 was for the United
States."
Medvedev also said that he would have sent in Russian troops
regardless of how closely tied Georgia was to Nato and that he would do so
again if needed.
'Humiliating for Russia'
Referring to Georgia and Ukraine's ambitions to join Nato, the
Kremlin leader said: "Just by getting closer to Russia's borders, Nato is not
becoming stronger ... what if Georgia had a Nato membership action plan?
"I would not wait for a second in making the decision I made at
that point."
Medvedev said Georgian membership of Nato would be a destabilising
factor, both for Nato and for the Caucasus region.
"The situation is not fair to Russia, it is humiliating for Russia.
We are not going to tolerate this any longer," he said.
The Russian president balanced his remarks by saying he did not
believe the Caucasus crisis had caused problems in relations between Russia and
the West, which would lead to another long period of confrontation.
Iran sanctions
Regarding Iran's nuclear programme, Medvedev said a military
solution to the standoff with Tehran was unacceptable, and there was no need at
the moment for new sanctions against Iran.
"We should not take any unilateral steps. It is not acceptable to
opt for a military scenario. It would be dangerous," he said.
The president said Moscow supported negotiations being led by
Javier Solana, the EU foreign policy chief, to persuade Iran to curb its
nuclear programme in exchange for a package of incentives.
"The key is that negotiations be pursued ... They have been quite
positive. We should not adopt any additional sanctions now," he said.
Medvedev's comments followed remarks on Thursday by Vladimir Putin,
Russia's prime minister, that there was no basis for a new Cold War with the
West and amid concerns over Moscow's unilateral recognition of South Ossetisa
and Abkhazia, Georgia's two separatist regions.
Putin, who was replaced by Medvedev as president in May, said
Russia did not have any "imperial ambitions" but warned the West against
starting an arms race in Europe by stationing the planned US missile system
near Russia's borders.
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