RA’s Daily Russia News Blast – Sept 8, 2008

TODAY: Sarkozy in Moscow seeking adherence to ceasefire agreement; Cheney takes new angle of attack, Medvedev ups rhetoric; International Court of Justice to hear Georgian appeal; Russia colluding with Iran and Venezuela; Happy Birthday Moscow. French president Nicolas Sarkozy is in Moscow today, aiming to get Russian troops finally out of Georgia and discuss the role of the international community regarding security. German Chancellor Angela Merkel is optimistic about the meeting. Did the ceasefire agreement suffer from translation problems? US Vice President Dick Cheney is taking a new angle in his attack on Russia: “Russia’s actions are an affront to civilized standards”. The British government has made a “wrong headed” decision to sever connections between military music bands in Russia and the UK, apparently as a demonstrative move over the Georgian conflict. The International Court of Justice will today hear Georgia’s appeal to halt what it calls human rights violations.

Iran’s armed forces will begin three days of war games today, amid speculation that Russia is arming the Iranian air force and considering increasing its assistance to Iran’s nuclear program. Russian will send ships and soldiers to the Caribbean Sea in November to take part in joint naval manoeuvres with Venezuela, and may station precision-guided weapons in Kaliningrad.Medvedev’s rhetoric continues. “Russia is a nation to be reckoned with.” But he also said…”I can even tell you that we currently feel sentiments of fraternity with regard to the Georgian people.” Russia has backing from six other former Soviet nations for its actions in Georgia. The Georgian war disproves the McDonald’s theory of war, apparently.Happy Birthday Moscow.PHOTO: Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin. (Reuters/RIA-Novosti)