An exhausted South Ossetian soldier is taking a smoke break on the side of the road Photo by
The European Commission (EC) was going to allot EUR 1 M for humanitarian aid for the civilians who have been wounded or suffered material loss from the military battles in South Ossetia, according to an EC spokesperson.
The EC has further stated that they were extremely alarmed by the situation in the area, deeply regretted that violence was causing death and suffering and appealed for the immediate ceasefire.
In the mean time, according to world press reports, US President George W. Bush has expressed serious concern during direct talks with Russian Premier Vladimir Putin in connection to the "disproportioned" response of Russia to the conflict in South Ossetia.
The talks have taken place in Beijing Friday.
In an interview for the US media outlet NBC, Bush himself had said that he had sharply criticized Moscow's harsh military crackdown in the former Soviet republic of Georgia, saying Monday that the violence was unacceptable and Russia's response is disproportionate.
Bush further stated that he United States was waging an all-out campaign to press Russia to halt its retaliation against Georgia for trying to take control of the breakaway province of South Ossetia, adding that the breaking out of the military conflict the same day when the Olympic Games opened in Beijing was casting a dark shadow over the sports' event and its ideals.
On Sunday, US Vice President Dick Cheney had said that "Russian aggression must not go unanswered, and that its continuation would have serious consequences for its relations with the United States."
Cheney had spoken Sunday afternoon with Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili, Cheney press secretary Lee Ann McBride said. "The vice president expressed the United States' solidarity with the Georgian people and their democratically elected government in the face of this threat to Georgia's sovereignty and territorial integrity," McBride said.
White House officials refused to indicate what recourse the United States might have if the military onslaught continues.
Italian Premier Silvio Berluskoni had appealed to his Russian counterpart for immediate truce in South Ossetia, according to world information agencies reports.
Berluskoni had called Vladimir Putin twice Sunday after announcements about ceasefire on the part of Georgia.
As reported by international media, Berluskoni is flattered by his close relations with Vladimir Putin and harbors ambitions to play a negotiator's role between Moscow and Europe.
The French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner had stated that he believes that Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili "was determined to achieve peace."
Kouchner has arrived in Tbilisi because France is currently the European Union Chair and had talks with Saakashvili Sunday.
"Peace must be reinstated and the civilians must be protected; this is the most important and from this point of view the President Saakashvili accepted almost all proposals we made," Kouchner had said in an interview for the French RTL radio.
The French plan for the ceasefire includes immediate truce, withdrawal of both forces to their positions from August 6, international presence in the area and guarantees for Georgia's sovereignty.
Kouchner had pointed out that the EU must be on the front line in the solution of the conflict since the US were in some way part of the conflict.
"You are talking about the Americans. They naturally are part of the conflict in some way and this is why we must underline the presence and the strength of the EU. I don't believe that the Americans would become more actively engaged. They, of course, must be included in the peace process. The process must be put into action and it is put into action by French President Sarkozi, who is also the EU Chair," Kouchner said for RTL.
On their part German representatives have announced that German Chancellor Angela Merkel was going to make her previously planned trip to the Russian Sea resort of Sochi, where she is to meet with Russian President Dmitry Medvedev and state the German position.
British Foreign Minister David Miliband condemned Russian military strikes in Georgia and pointed out that the last attacks have been conducted far away from South Ossetia.
Miliband had said that he had talks with "foreign colleagues" who have also expressed strong concern regarding the escalating conflict in Georgia.
In the same time, the Georgian Foreign Minister is going to participate Tuesday in a NATO meeting of the North Atlantic Pact, which is the highest NATO authority in the decision making process. The Georgian Minister would also meet with the NATO General Secretary.