Foreign Correspondence

[Amaunet]

Yushchenko of Ukraine and Saakashvili of Georgia are Bush’s boys.

Saakashvili was democratically elected in Georgia as a puppet president who under Bush’s direction is to make life miserable for Russia. Saakashvili has done a terrific job and has even made it possible for Bush to help a lot of Russian school children to see Jesus.
#msg-4589620

Yet, despite the warm reception given Georgian leader, PACE delegates issued a number of warnings. A report on the functioning of democratic institutions in Georgia debated after Saakashvili addressed the assembly raises concerns at recent political developments in that country.

However you are not going to see the United States make any significant threatening gestures toward Georgia because they have proven to be compliant thugs.

The West has not-quite-so-openly thrown its weight behind Yushchenko of Ukraine. Yushchenko did not fare so well in the Ukrainian election.

Unlike Georgia who elected Bush’s bastard baby the Ukraine in rejecting Yushchenko might catch hell.

-Am

U.S. Threatens Punitive Steps Over Ukraine Election
Mon Nov 22, 2004 03:20 PM ET

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States on Monday threatened to review its relationship with Ukraine and to take punitive steps if the Ukrainian government fails to investigate allegations of fraud and abuse in its presidential election.
More than 100,000 Ukrainians poured into the streets of Kiev to protest against an election they believe was stolen by backers of Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovich, the Moscow-backed candidate who defeated his liberal rival Viktor Yushchenko according to official figures.

Yanukovich led Yushchenko by 49.42 percent of the vote to 46.69 percent, with 99.14 percent of ballots tallied, although an exit poll released immediately after polls closed on Sunday put Yushchenko in the lead by 54 to 43 percent.

Western monitors denounced the vote as undemocratic.

"The United States is deeply concerned over the elections in Ukraine," State Department spokesman Adam Ereli told reporters. "We call on the Ukrainian authorities to curb additional abuse and fraud, to uphold its international commitments to democracy and human rights and to act to ensure an outcome that reflects the will of the Ukrainian people.

"Should, in the final analysis, this election prove to be fundamentally flawed and tarnished, we would certainly need to review our relations with the Ukraine and consider further steps against individuals who had engaged in fraud," he added.

Ereli said the Ukrainian government could avert punitive U.S. action by investigating and dealing with allegations of fraud and respecting the will of the people.

A U.S. official who asked not to be named said Washington could trim economic aid to Ukraine, reduce military assistance, freeze the assets of people who engaged in fraud or ban them from receiving U.S. visas.

The official said Washington was more likely to trim aid than to take the "radical" step of eliminating it outright.

"What you would see is not black and white but shades of gray -- at what speed do you go forward on certain programs, what kind of levels of assistance or engagement are you talking about," he said.

According to the State Department, Washington budgeted some $143.47 million in aid for Ukraine for the year that ended on Sept. 30, including $61.98 million for security and law enforcement, $34.11 million for democracy, $42.38 million for economic and social reform and $5 million for humanitarian and other aid.

Ereli also urged the Ukrainian authorities, who have vowed to put down any lawlessness "quickly and firmly," to exercise restraint in dealing with protesters and he urged "all sides to express themselves only in a nonviolent manner."

© Reuters 2004. All Rights Reserved.

http://olympics.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=politicsNews&storyID=6888785


Reference:

Yet, despite the warm reception they gave the young Georgian leader, PACE delegates issued a number of warnings. A report on the functioning of democratic institutions in Georgia debated after Saakashvili addressed the assembly raises concerns at recent political developments in that country.

"The assembly notes its concern about the current reshaping of Georgian political life and the risk of a disappearance of all parliamentary opposition after the forthcoming elections and, in consequence, of any true institutional counterweight," reads a resolution adopted at the end of a one-hour debate.

A rerun of last November's disputed parliamentary polls that precipitated the downfall of Shevardnadze's administration is scheduled for 28 March. Following Saakashvili's takeover after the so-called "Revolution of the Roses" that followed the controversial vote, some Georgian political observers have raised concerns at the possible concentration of power in the hands of a single party or coalition.

The Tbilisi-based "Civil Georgia" information website earlier this month (12 January) quoted an independent opinion survey showing that Saakashvili and his allies could garner nearly 80 percent of the votes in the next election. The survey also showed that none of the current opposition parties would overcome the 7-percent barrier required to enter parliament.

"If the elections were to culminate in the sole representation in parliament of the ruling coalition, the assembly might fear for the future of democratic pluralism in Georgia," the resolution adopted yesterday in Strasbourg says.

http://www.rferl.org/features/features_article.aspx?id=223D2379-F6CF-4D37-962C-FF6B7D8ACDF9&m=1&....