U.S. Official: Georgia is ‘Area of Outstanding Disagreement’ with Russia

Georgia remains “an area of outstanding disagreement that requires careful management” in the U.S.-Russia relations, William J. Burns, the U.S. under secretary of state for political affairs, said.

Speaking at an annual conference of the World Russian Forum in Washington on April 27, Burns said that relation between Euro-Atlantic institutions, Russia and its neighbors also was an area of disagreement.

“Most of the world disagrees with Russia’s decision to recognize the territories of South Ossetia and Abkhazia – a decision which raised obvious concern over Russia’s respect for the territorial integrity of its neighbors,” he said. “In London [at G20 summit], our Presidents reaffirmed implementation of the August 12 and September 8 agreements, as well as the discussions in Geneva to bring stability to the region, which we believe are essential to rebuilding confidence.”

“While the U.S. understands the historical, cultural, and economic ties between Russia and its neighbors, we stand by the right of all countries to determine their own foreign policy and make their own choices about alliances,” he added.

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