08/11/2008 The armed conflict between Russia and Georgia is extremely dangerous and needs to be brought to a halt immediately. The impact on innocent civilians is mounting and, if allowed to continue, could spiral out of control. Further, were this territorial dispute to draw in neighboring European countries and the United States, the conflict could escalate into a confrontation between the two largest nuclear-armed states.
History teaches us that such a catastrophe is not only possible, but is likely if steps are not taken promptly to resolve this situation diplomatically.
IPPNW urges the Presidents of both Russia and Georgia to agree to an immediate ceasefire, to allow UN peacekeepers into the territories of South Ossetia and Abkhazia, and to bring their grievances regarding these territories before the International Court of Justice for arbitration that will take the interests of all parties into account.
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