David Cameron, in Georgia, warns Russia that it will be held responsible for atrocities carried out in areas it has invaded

Earlier today David Cameron met with Georgian President Saakashvili during a flying visit to Tbilisi.

He issued this statement:

"I'm here as a politician representing one of the world's oldest democracies to show support for one of the world's newest. We are absolutely right to stand by a country, its democracy and its territorial integrity when it has been violated in this way."

He also said this to the BBC:

"What I've heard is there's a real danger that the militias that are in the areas that the Russians occupy may well be carrying out appalling atrocities.  Reports are beginning to come in, obviously we need the evidence, but a very clear message needs to go out to the Russians that while they are in control of this territory - which they shouldn't be - anything that happens there is their responsibility. If atrocities have taken place, they will be held to account for that."

ConservativeHome comment: "We join with Iain Martin, The Sun and others who have been impressed by David Cameron's resolute response to the Russia-Georgia crisis.  Mr Cameron has been the most prime ministerial figure in British politics over the last week.  He identified Russia as the principal villain of the affair on Monday and then used his press conference on Tuesday to set out a range of measures that the world's democracies should be willing to take against Russia.  He was right to go to Tbilisi today and to show solidarity with the Georgian people.  We must all hope that reports of atrocities in Russian-controlled territory are untrue."

> Watch a video of David Cameron talking to the BBC (three minutes).

Comments

[Tony Makara]

A statesmanlike and measured response from David Cameron. Hopefully his words will encourage those who are feeling dispossessed and be a warning to Russia that Britain and the west will not turn a blind eye to attrocities undertaken now, or in the future.

[Edward Taylor]

This is very encouraging. If Cameron's response to this crisis is anything to go by, he will have good foreign policy credentials when/if he reaches office - firm but not maverick and uncontrollable.

Contrast this with John McCain, whom I still support for the US presidency but worries me with his hawkishness on this issue. Hopefully Cameron will be able to moderate some of McCain's instincts on foreign policy if both come to office in the not-too-distant future.

[Margaret Young]

Stop pretending Dave you aint a PM or a politician of any substance and never will be. Michael Gove is right to call you a PR man and a pretty good one at that.

[Sally Roberts]

This statement by David Cameron strikes entirely the right note! Measured and sensible.

[Mike Routhorn]

Margaret Young, yes, Cameron's efforts on this issue have really been put in the shade by those of our current PM and Foreign Secretary haven't they?

It won't be lost on the public or in the international arena that Cameron stepped up to the plate while our PM hid in a cupboard. Again.

[anthony scholefield]

Personally I think this is a mistake in political/PR terms.
Is it a general principle that Leaders of the Opposition should be indicating foreign policy on whistlestop stopovers?
Some questions suggest themselves
1. Did Cameron's statement have any foreign office input? or expert advice or coordination with allies?
2.Why did he pick on Georgia-a country of absolutely no concern to the UK but not say on India and Pakistan where there has been increased fighting in Kashmir this week? Is he going to make lightning overseas visits and construct instant Opposition policy on each and every country in the world on this basis everytime there is a crisis.
3.What was the input of the Shadow Cabinet?
4. There is too much of the Blair Sarkozy camera seeking about this whole jaunt and no seriousness.

[RichardJ]

At first my sympathies were with the Russians due to the fact that the majority of South Ossetians wanted independence from Georgia. However, Russia has clearly gone OTT and its threats to Poland are like that of a 5 year old throwing a tantrum. We should pay no attention to them until they grow up.

[David Belchamber]

Is it correct, as reported, that the President of Georgia asked David Cameron to go to Georgia, as he was so impressed with the comments DC made on the situation at his press conference on Monday?

[Mr Angry]

Sorry, held responsible by whom exactly? Just like every other western reaction to this crisis this is nothing more than irrelevent hot air with nothing at all to back it up.

What part of "Dont Mess With Russia" do people still not understand????

The West needs to learn very fast indeed that although Communism has been defeated Russia is still an immensely strong military and nuclear power and an energy giant. As such they are incredibly powerful and dangerous and Russia is determined not to allow those ex Soviet Republics traditionally under their control to become members of NATO.

The urge to rub the Russian's noses in the dirt for no really good reason needs to be very strongly resisted for the safety and security of the whole world.

[RichardJ]

"As such they are incredibly powerful and dangerous and Russia is determined not to allow those ex Soviet Republics traditionally under their control to become members of NATO"

What do they think will happen if they do? The invasion of Russia by the West? Russia's paranoia is laughable.

[Putinfan]

Will Saakashvili be held accountable for the atrocities carried out in the areas Georgia invaded, or do abuses and ethnic cleansing of Ossetians not matter because they aren't "our" type of people?

[Dr Charles Tannock MEP]

Russia not satisfied with ethnically cleansing, via the S Ossetian irregulars actions of torching and looting houses, of all Georgians from S Ossetia (these constituted roughly 30% of the population ľ weeks ago)are now using prohibited incendiary wapons to set fire to the Borjomi forest, reminiscent of what Saddam Hussein did in Kuwait. This is a monstrous environmental crime to boot. I was watching the Russian foreign minister praise the right of self determination for Russian "citizens" in these breakaway territories (two years ago they were regarded as Georgians by Russia till they started handing out passports in a policy of annexation). This Russian emabracing of self determination sits uncomfortably with the Russian ruthless crushing of Chechens demanding indpendence or Russian opposition to Kosovar independence. For the record I regard Chechnya as Russian territory and opposed Kosovo unilaterally recognised independence and predicted that Russia would use it as precedent for action in Georgia.
No Russia has overplayed its hand and appears as an aggressor determined to topple the democratic governmentg in Tblisi and reassert its hegemony in the Region. One constituent wrote to me today why we Conservatives were not backing the Russians as the good guys in the conflict after the alleged Georgian atrocities. I replied that good guys dont break their word as Medvedev did by sending forces beyond the conflict zone invading a sovereign UN member state without any UN mandate, they dont bomb civilian areas with cluster munition as happened in Gori killing a Dutch journalist and dont allow under their watch irregular forces to loot and torch property and prevent foreign media access and then state that Gerogians will never be alowed back to their properties, ie ethnic cleansing will pay and all under the limited mandate of OSCE peacekeepers!

[Bootyboomboom]

"Putinfan",

Don't bother with these ignorant Russophobes. After a week of reading their smug BS you'd wish that the restrained Russian army would annex Georgia completely if only to stick a bayonet into this collossal balloon of neocon vanity. I would never have believed that British Conservatives would take such a blinkered 'Weekly Standard' view of world affairs.

[Serf]

The urge to rub the Russian's noses in the dirt for no really good reason needs to be very strongly resisted for the safety and security of the whole world.

For no reason?

Russia is a 19th century imperialist stuck in the wrong century. Unless we stand up to them, the safety & security of the world will be at greater risk.

Putin wants us all at his mercy and so far we have all played along with his game.

A strong free Russia, is something that we would be happy to see. The current expansionist Neo fascist set up is something that has to be resisted.

[Putinfan]

Charles Tannock, 30,000 out of the 70,000 Ossetians in South Ossetia were forced out of their home by the Georgian army, who threw grenades into cellars where innocent women and children were hiding. I see you don't condemn Georgia's murder and ethnic cleansing of innocent civilians.

Presumably your viewpoint is shaped by the splendid receptions and lunches you get invited to as part of the EU gravy train. I would expect more from a Conservative representative.

[Dave]

Saw two yobbos knocking seven hells out of each other on the way home from the pub tonight. The taxi driver kind of spoiled the fun by speeding off (so there went his tip, the lightweight).

Anyway, which of the two idiots do you guys think I should have given my full and unconditional support to ?

I know it's tricky, what with no Americans being on hand to tell us what to think, but should it have been the skinny ginga or the one with three bellies and no hair at all?

Let me know what you think, and tomorrow I'll demand that the loser be barred from the Eurovision song contest.

[Helen]

Keep up to date Putinfan, will you. Those figures have been disproved by all independent witnesses. We are down to a couple of dozen killed and a few hundred injured. How does that compare to what the Russian forces did in Grozny?

[snegchui]

Little bears, go home. Withdrawal of South Ossetian citizens was taking place 4 days at least before Georgian assault in Tskhinvali. Tell your stories to your drunken comrades who are in gutter like you, sensible people of world know you for liars and uncultured illiterates.
Again and again you shout and scream, and again and again verification is like love of Putin for Russian people, empty. Love of Putin for Putin , very noisy affair.
You think Russia and the oligarchy that runs it has place for you. Ha.
Your foot will be on neck of Georgians for 2 weeks, and then foot of oligarchs will be on your neck and necks of your women and children until they die, Dvyraki.
Putin, not Russia, planned this war and for now Putin's ego is enjoying itself. The price for his pleasure will be you when he cannot deliver the promises of grandeur and wealth for all he says he can. When you are cold because Russian industry lacks skills to keep that oil flowing after West and Japan leave because of uncultured behaviour on your part, then tell me Putin is new Tsar or Gospod of rodina.
Putin's game is not zero sum or win, win, it is lose, lose and sooner you see that, the sooner civilized people can lead productive lives and not life of grumpy bear living from berry to berry.

[Dave]

Come off it, snegchui. Putin's won.

That's why I don't like DC's position. He's jettisoned reason in order to back Georgia and McCain, two losers.

I'm soooo glad Hague and (soon) Davis are there, so they can slap some sense into the clown when his opinions actually start to mean something.

BTW, fat lad or ginga - who should I demand be suspended from the Eurovision song contest for their disproportinate actions in the pub car park tonight?

[snegchui]

Not yet. Putin may gain short-term plaudits with the populace, but there are many in Govt who are looking at him as ex-KGB and wondering now has he served his useful purpose of knocking down the wilful provincial governances and their tax theiving and is now undoing his earlier good work. By maintaining an oligarchy by fear, it is working for now, but his adventurism is already sowing the seeds of hos own destruction.
The worry is that the closer that personal destruction comes, the more erratic he will have to become. Let us see who obeys this hare and for how long.

[James White]

I hope for a Conservative win big time at the next election. We as a Country need it.

Having said that Mr Cameron is behaving as though he has already won.

I do not enjoy the benefit of a
long political memory, but have read up on politics and I think he is jumping the gun with this in his presumtion he is now PM.

He needs to tone down a bit.

He has a long way still to go and taking the people of this Country as though he is home and dry will most certainly backfire on him.

He is in great danger of being politically carried away by good opinion polls.

I do hope this is not pride before the fall.

People need to go to the polls first Mr Cameron before you and Mr Hague count your gains.

Do not take us for granted, that has been Mr Brown undoing.

Yes Mr Cameron has great ideas and has turned the party around along with it's fortunes, he has to do the same with the British people.

While he is treated as some sort of a demi god and latter day Messiah on here, there are still a lot who see him as a political opportunist.

I hope he reflects on this and behaves accordingly, which to most on here they will say he does.

The non political will he has not.

BTW I know of one person who is regularly contacted by a polling organisation, he says he is anti-Brown more to give Labour a good kicking than pro Cameron.

Beware Mr Cameron that is the reality of the situation, take it steady and do not presume so much, you are not PM yet and may never be!

[James Maskell]

Russia doesnt care about international organisations. Russia is not Iraq and irrelevant of the energy control it has, theres no chance of military action against Russia and so all it faces is words.

Georgia walked right into this and the world has been told straight "Do not mess with us". The UN has no more control over Russian actions than I do to reverse the force of gravity.

[kartvelian]

Buzzwords are flying but Georgia is not a democracy. If you think Saakashvili's 97% of the vote is more democractic than Shevardnadze's 95% was well, ha ha ha! Saakashvili like his predecessor has promoted torture and imprisonment to control political and other opposition. Take a look at www.ukhelsinki.blogspot.com

[Peter Berrow]

Everyone keeps on saying its South Ossetia and Russia against Georgia and west. The problem is that the South Ossetians are split between two Presidents. Dmitry Sanakoyev(Prime Minister under Lyudvig Chibirov) and Eduard Kokoity(backed by the Russians). With this the question should be who would really win the post(in my view Dimitry)in a democratic election and who should we back(again Dimitry). If people here really want to marry Putin then they should get on the first plane to St Petersburg.

[Peter Berrow]

In reply to Kartvelian comments comparing Saakashvili two elections wins to Shevardnadze sham win just shows how much you must be in support of Russian media re write of history. I surpose Zivad Gameskurdia getting 88% of a 83% turnout in first Presidential election doesn't count either as it was the people who overthrown him in the coup were the very people who asked Eduard back in to run the country.

[john parkes]

Georgia is an independent, self-governing nation within borders that have been internationally recognised.
In the context of international diplomacy, the signals that the UK gives on this and related matters are of significance. There is, therefore, a justifiable feeling of frustration here and abroad that there was for far too long, a Brown/Miliband silence on the continued presence of Russian troops in Georgia. Already Russia is playing the half-baked Sarkozy/Merkel ceasefire arrangements against the more rigorous and unambiguous UN attempts to restore the status quo ante, saying the latter are unacceptable as they run counter to the ill-thought-out, less demanding EU plan.
Although by no means certain, it is realistic to suppose that Cameron has a better-than-evens chance of becoming PM after the next general election. This will be in 2010 at the latest. It is sensible, therefore, to let both Russia and the USA know now the policy line that the next UK government would follow so as to avoid any sense that Russia can act unilaterally and hope to get away with it unchallenged.
A similar unpredictability as to the future exists now also in the USA. Putin will have noted Obama`s uncertainty and inclination to placatory talk, rather than firm action. He is likely to think, perhaps, that McCain will prove a tougher nut to crack. If in turn McCain is likely to be supported by Cameron in matters related to the importance of international boundaries and the unacceptability of the use of force so as to change them, it will become clear to Putin that he must not feel he will have a free ride in pursuit of what he sees as Russia`s national interests. This in particular when it comes to Russia`s aim of restoring her position to what it was in the pre-Yeltsin era. Firm talk now and a declared readiness to oppose by appropriate means Russian adventurism, such as that we now see in Georgia, will perhaps bring Russia to the negotiating table. There must then be a willingness to talk sensibly on matters of international security. Cameron`s intervention is therefore timely and to be welcomed.

[kartvelian]

Peter Berrow, Shevardnadze was beloved of the West who praised his victories (until one day...) even against Gamsakhurdia, in just the tones you adopt for Saakashvili. I thought the version of history that dictated "objective truths" was dead - but clearly not on Conservative Home. It is possible to criticise the thug and loon Saakashvili without being pro-Russian - except in your wieird dialectical world. I can't understand the second part of your comment which makes me think that my pseudonym may be less misleading than yours.