Reports: British Foreign Secretary to Visit Georgia

David Miliband, the British foreign secretary, plans to visit Georgia this week, the Guardian reported on August 18.

It also reported that Miliband’s trip, likely to take place on Wednesday, was made public by Downing Street after there were suggestions on a Georgian radio station that PM Gordon Brown himself would visit later this week.

The British Foreign Secretary said in a statement on August 16 that “Russian aggression against Georgia” were unacceptable and “run contrary to the principles of national sovereignty and respect for the territorial integrity of independent countries.”

“The United Kingdom will play a full part in the international observation mission in Georgia, and will be providing significant humanitarian aid. I look forward to attending Tuesday’s emergency North Atlantic Council meeting in Brussels where discussions with partners will continue about the right next step,” he said and added that the Russian troops must immediately pull out from Georgia as envisaged by the six-point ceasefire accord.

David Cameron, the leader of British Conservative Party, was in Tbilisi on August 16, meeting with the country’s leadership, including President Saakashvili.

“I think it’s important that the world’s oldest democracy must stand with one of the newest when it’s been illegally invaded by another country,” he told the journalists in Tbilisi. “We wanted to come to express the strongest possible support of the British people, British government and British opposition for Georgia, its independence and integrity.”