The Baltic Course
August 18, 2008
Ilves and Bush discussed Russia’s aggression against Georgia
BC, Tallinn, 18.08.2008.
On Friday President Toomas Hendrik Ilves discussed over the phone Russia’s aggression against Georgia with President of the United States George W. Bush, writes Postimees Online.
Ilves and Bush discussed also Georgian conflict’s impact on international relations and on global security.
The Estonian head of State gave an overview of the visit made by leaders of Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland and Ukraine to Thbilisi this week. “We wanted to express our support for the democratic Government of Georgia with our presence there,” said Ilves.
Both presidents considered it important to continue supporting the territorial integrity of Georgia within the internationally recognised borders. Ilves and Bush both also noted that Russia will have to take its forces out of Georgia’s territory. “It is also essential to create a corridor for delivering humanitarian aid in order to help people who suffered from the war,” added Ilves.
Estonian head of State estimated that Russia’s aggression against its neighbour has fundamentally changed the future of global security. “During the past 17 years it has been the principal premise in all agreements that Russia shares the same values as the rest of the world and that Russia will not attack its neighbours,” noted Ilves, stating that today indicates a change in this paradigm.
President Ilves also talked to his Latvian colleague Valdis Zatlers, with whom he exchanged information on the situation that has developed in Georgia as well as on the global security environment.
