Cheney: U.S. wants stability for Georgia regionStory Highlights
U.S. vice president says U.S. has abiding interest in Georgia's regional stability
Dick Cheney in Azerbaijan starting tour of three former Soviet republics
Russia-Georgia conflict is high on the agenda
U.S. wants to ensure diversity of energy supplies and supply routes to Europe
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BAKU, Azerbaijan (CNN) -- Vice President Dick Cheney reiterated U.S. support for Georgia on the opening day of a tour of three former Soviet republics.
Vice President Dick Cheney arrives in Azerbaijan on Wednesday.
In remarks made after meeting the president of Azerbaijan, Cheney said the U.S. had an abiding interest in the region's stability.
During the trip, which also takes in Ukraine and Georgia, high on the agenda will be the conflict between Georgia and Russia, and Moscow's subsequent recognition of two breakaway Georgian provinces as independent.
Cheney said Wednesday, "One of the basic foundations of security and peace is respect for national borders, a principle that is endangered today.
"Although we decided on this visit months ago, we met this evening in the shadow of the recent Russian invasion of Georgia, an act that has been clearly condemned by the international community.
"President Bush has sent me here with a clear and simple message to the people of Azerbaijan and the entire region: The United States has deep and abiding interests in your well-being and security."
Cheney's trip began as U.S. government sources confirmed the Bush administration plans for a $1 billion aid package for Georgia.
Azerbaijan, which borders Georgia and Iran and sits along the Caspian Sea, is an oil- and gas-rich nation and a key U.S. ally in the region.
Cheney held meetings Wednesday afternoon with Azerbaijan representatives of BP and Chevron before meeting President Ilham Aliyev.
They briefed Cheney on their assessments of the energy situation in the country and the broader Caspian region, especially in light of Russia's recent military actions in neighboring Georgia, the White House said. They also described their activities, the region's significant energy potential and some of the challenges they face, the White House said.
A senior U.S. administration official said last week that the two will discuss recent events neighboring Georgia, along with Azerbaijan's cooperation in the war on terrorism and its troop contributions in Iraq and Afghanistan.
The United States wants to ensure a diversity of energy supplies and supply routes to Europe, the administration official said, and countries like Azerbaijan are key to developing additional resources.
The official said the recent conflict with Russia means the United States and Europe are even more interested in diversifying energy infrastructure, pipelines and supplies to lessen Europe's reliance on Russia as an energy provider.
"The level of confidence and trust that people have in Russia's overall reliability has been put in serious question by what's happened," the official said, "and I would assume that extends to energy and the issue of energy supplies."
After Azerbaijan, Cheney plans to visit Georgia, where he is expected to meet President Mikheil Saakashvili and discuss the conflict with Russia. Cheney will also assess the U.S. and international relief operations after the fighting.
Cheney will be the highest-level U.S. official to visit Georgia since the crisis between Georgia and Russia began.
"I'm sure that the vice president and President Saakashvili will also look beyond the immediate situation and discuss in depth the need for a comprehensive long-term strategy by the international community to help Georgia recover and rebuild, including the critical task of supporting the democratic choice of the Georgian people to integrate further with Euro-Atlantic institutions, including NATO," the administration official said.
The Georgia-Russia conflict and NATO will also be a major topic when Cheney visits Ukraine on Friday, the official said.
Cheney finishes the trip in Italy where he plans to address the annual Ambrosetti Forum on Lake Como, giving a speech on challenges facing the trans-Atlantic alliance. He then plans to meet both Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi and President Giorgio Napolitano.
The trip will be Cheney's first to Azerbaijan and Georgia, and his first to Ukraine since he became vice president, his office said.
Bron: CNN.com
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De VS wil even zijn gas/olie veiligstellen......
TIBLISI, Georgia (CNN) -- U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney said Thursday the United States firmly backs NATO membership for Georgia, telling Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili that America will help his country rebuild its democracy and economy after last month's conflict with Russia.
Mikhail Saakashvili, left, and Dick Cheney inspect humanitarian aid effort at an airport in Tbilisi.
1 of 4 Cheney is the highest-level U.S. official to visit Georgia since the crisis with Russia, and he emphasized that the Central Asian nation can count on Washington as a solid ally.
"We will help your people to heal this nation's wounds, to rebuild this economy, and to ensure Georgia's democracy, independence, and further integration with the West," Cheney told Saakashvili in a statement after their meeting.
"In their hearts, the Georgian people have great courage, and in America, they have a sturdy and faithful friend."
Cheney's brief visit to Tbilisi follows Wednesday's announcement by the United States of a $1 billion aid package for Georgia to help with humanitarian aid and reconstruction after last month's conflict with Russia.
The aid package is on top of $30 million in humanitarian assistance which Cheney said the United States has already given to Georgia.
"America will help Georgia rebuild and regain its position as one of the world's fastest-growing economies," Cheney said.
Saakashvili thanked the United States for standing by Georgia, saying it shows how close the countries are.
"The spirit and will of my nation, the resolve of my government are stronger than ever before," Saakashvili said. "As many challenges lie ahead of us, we are willing to tackle them."
The vice president criticized Russia's military actions in Georgia as an invasion of its sovereign territory and "an illegitimate unilateral attempt" to change Georgia's borders by force. He said Russia's actions have cast "grave doubt" on its intentions and reliability as an international partner.
Cheney also said the United States is committed to Georgia's eventual membership in NATO, promising, "Georgia will be in our alliance."
The Georgia-Russia conflict and the issue of NATO membership are likely to be topics on Cheney's next stop, in Kiev, Ukraine. That country -- which, like Georgia, is a former Soviet republic -- is also seeking NATO membership, something that has angered Russia.
The vice president discussed the conflict Wednesday during his visit to Azerbaijan, but another main topic was energy. Azerbaijan, which borders Georgia and Iran and sits on the Caspian Sea, is an oil- and gas-rich nation and a key U.S. ally in the region.
Cheney met with representatives of energy companies BP and Chevron and held talks with President Ilham Aliyev. He said the United States has a deep interest in maintaining the country's stability and security.
"The United States strongly believes that, together with the nations of Europe, including Turkey, we must work with Azerbaijan and other countries in the Caucasus and Central Asia on additional routes for energy exports that ensure the free flow of resources," Cheney said after his meeting with Aliyev. "Energy security is essential to us all, and the matter is becoming increasingly urgent."
In announcing the Georgia aid package, U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice emphasized the money is intended for humanitarian aid and reconstruction -- not to rebuild the Georgian armed forces the Russians rolled over in early August. Russian leaders have raised questions about U.S. intentions about providing Georgia with arms.
"This is a reconstruction package for the Georgian economy," Rice said in Washington. "It is not yet time to look at the question of assistance on the military side."
Rice said the biggest share of the aid, $570 million, is to be sent over the next five months. The remaining $430 million will be up to the next administration.
After Georgia and Ukraine, Cheney plans to end his trip in Italy to meet leaders there and discuss the transatlantic alliance.
Bron: cnn.com
