http://news.yam.com/cna/international/200805/20080530664374.html
美眾院領袖要求國防部向新國會進行國安簡報
中央社╱中央社 2008-05-30 07:36
     
（中央社記者林芥佑華盛頓二十九日專電）美國聯邦眾議院軍事委員會主席史克爾頓今天致函五角大廈，要求參謀首長聯席會議主席穆倫上將，在明年向新任總統進行國家安全與威脅的簡報後，也應該立即向國會做同樣的簡報。

穆倫目前正籌組一個團隊，準備在明年一月新任總統就職後，向新元首簡報美國當前國家安全現況、政策以及可能面對的威脅。

史克爾頓今天致函穆倫辦公室，信中強調，依憲法規定國會也是美國政府一環，且國會主管國安預算與相關政策。

他說，總統大選同步也會選出多位新的國會議員，因此他強烈建議穆倫，明年一月也應該向新的國會，包括兩黨領袖、參議院與眾議院的軍事委員會、還有其它適宜的委員會，進行相同的國安簡報。

史克爾頓在信中說，為了新政府的權益以及表達適時的禮貌，參謀首長聯席會議主席穆倫向新總統簡報後，應該同步於一月，向第一百一十一屆國會做這項簡報。

「美國有線電視新聞網（CNN）」今天報導，穆倫在上個星期已經指示成立一個小組，負責思考國安議題與國家威脅。CNN說，這些議題包括伊朗、伊拉克、巴基斯坦、北韓等等，另外還有飛漲的食物與原油價格可能引發的國安危機。

http://thehill.com/leading-the-news/skelton-urges-pentagon-to-brief-next-congress-on-threats-2008-05-29.html
Leading The News

Skelton urges Mullen to brief 111th Congress on threats 
By Roxana Tiron 
Posted: 05/29/08 02:50 PM [ET]
 
Rep. Ike Skelton (D-Mo.), the chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, is urging Pentagon leaders to brief the new Congress next year on military threats facing the United States.

Skelton sent a letter on Thursday to the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Adm. Mike Mullen, after he learned that Mullen is assembling a Pentagon team to brief the incoming president on national security issues.

Now Skelton is asking for the same briefing when the 111th Congress starts together with a new president next January.

“As Congress is a co-equal branch of government under the Constitution and thus controls funding and other national security policies, I strongly recommend that you provide the congressional bipartisan leadership and respective House and Senate Armed Services and Appropriations committees the same briefing simultaneous to the one furnished to the White House,” Skelton wrote to Mullen.

"It is important that the new 111th Congress receive the exact briefing furnished to the White House for the benefit of the incoming administration in a timely manner.”

CNN reported on Thursday that Mullen last week ordered a team to be established to begin considering the issues and threats that should be briefed to a new president. According to CNN, the issues on the table will be Iran, Iraq, Pakistan and North Korea, but also the skyrocketing cost food and fuel prices, which could cause new security threats.

http://www.libertytimes.com.tw/2008/new/may/27/today-int5.htm
自由時報2008年5月27日

總統大選近 美軍方罕見要官兵中立
〔編譯魏國金／綜合報導〕美國參謀首長聯席會議主席穆倫最近公開要求，全美官兵在美國總統大選迫近、伊拉克與阿富汗戰爭必然是選戰議題之際，不得介入政治，尤其是聯席會成員對於退休軍官參與今年選戰多所質疑，因為這些退休軍官有人擔任政治人物策士，有人公開呼籲改變軍事政策，有人則成為電視名嘴。

退休軍官轉戰名嘴

他指出：「美國軍隊任何時候都必須維持不涉入政治的立場，軍隊必須永遠是國家的中立工具，不論那一政黨取得優勢皆然。」

國際前鋒論壇報二十五日報導，這篇發表在即將出刊的「聯合部隊季刊」的文章，是穆倫以參謀首長聯席會議主席身分，首度發表在該刊物的文章。

一些資深軍官表示，記憶所及，還沒有類似這樣「致全體官兵」的書信，對軍職人員提出不沾染爭議性政治議題的要求。

報導說，這篇文章反映出高層軍官極度憂心，為執行國家安全政策而付上高昂代價的美軍將捲入今年的選戰。報導指出，伊拉克戰爭現在已拖得比二戰還久，而且也是自美國革命戰爭以來，美國打得最久的衝突。

伊戰爭議動搖軍心

穆倫表示，他之所以提筆為文，是因為他造訪世界各地的駐防美軍時總被問到，「如果民主黨總統候選人勝選怎麼辦？」「這將對駐伊美軍的任務產生什麼影響？」等問題，他說：「我不建議軍人應放棄所有個人的社政議題看法，我所建議的，實際上也是國家所期待的，是軍人應捐棄個人的政治傾向，執行交辦給他的任務。」

http://mil.news.sina.com.cn/2008-05-21/1155501605.html
美國非洲司令部計畫受阻 化整為零建24個分部

http://www.sina.com.cn 2008年05月21日 11:55 國際先驅導報

　　非洲司令部在非洲建總部的計畫告吹，但美國開始改用“化整為零”、逐一擊破的方法在非洲繼續加強運作

　　國際先驅導報記者楊晴川發自華盛頓 美國《基督教科學箴言報》5月16日援引五角大樓高層人士的話說，美國國防部最終放棄了將非洲司令部設在非洲的計畫，而準備將該司令部固定設在德國斯圖加特，或遷到美國東海岸某地。同時，美國也悄然收回了將非洲司令部建成一個由將領和文官共管的新型指揮實體的構想。

　　這個剛剛起步的美國全球第6大戰區司令部一直步履維艱。去年10月，非洲司令部正式成立，暫時設在德國斯圖加特，寄居在美軍歐洲司令部內。美國總統布希今年2月訪問非洲時想為其選址，卻遭到非洲國家的普遍抵制。

　　非洲對美國大兵說“不”

　　在非洲司令部成立前，其事務由美國的歐洲、中央和太平洋三個司令部共管。近年來，非洲在反恐、能源等方面的戰略地位日益突出，於是美軍開始加強在非洲地區的活動。

　　按照原計劃，在非洲司令部將在今年10月遷入非洲大陸的一處新址，從而名正言順地獨立運作。為此，美國軍政官員一批批輪番到非洲訪問，布希總統也親自上陣。然而，這種公關努力毫無突破。被美國視為在北非最密切盟友的摩洛哥，公開否認願意成為美軍非洲司令部東道國的傳聞。利比亞和阿爾及利亞儘管近來與美國軍事關係升溫，但也分別表示拒絕。

　　為了加強對非洲民眾的公關，非洲司令部曾特地在網站上設了一個開放式的聊天室，歡迎線民進來自由發表意見。但效果適得其反。一名自稱為科爾•曼加的非洲線民寫道：“很顯然，非洲司令部司令沃德將軍看起來和過去把非洲大陸出賣給白人的黑人酋長沒什麼兩樣。”

　　“文武共治”成空想

　　按照原先設想，未來的非洲司令部在體制上也將進行創新，由國防部派出的將軍和國務院派出的外交官進行“文武共治”，其1300名直屬人員也將是一半軍人，一半文官，但試行效果並不理想。

　　原因很簡單，美國國防部和國務院向來不對眼，相互掣肘是常事，這在美國政界不是秘密。要讓軍人服從外交官的指揮，在美國歷史上沒有先例。既然是司令部，就沒有文官唱主角的道理。

　　國際觀察人士也指出，這種刻意淡化軍事色彩的做法，也難以打消非洲人民的疑慮。

　　化整為零以退為進

　　值得注意的是，非洲司令部不設在非洲，並不等於美國放棄了建立非洲司令部的宗旨。據美國《星條旗報》報導，非洲司令部在非洲建總部的計畫告吹後，改用“化整為零”、逐個擊破的方法在非洲加強運作。

　　具體方法是在美國駐非洲使館設立分部，目前已建立了13個，未來4年還要再新設11個。這些分部稱為“安全合作辦公室”，人員有2至4人，他們負責非洲司令部與駐在國軍方的聯絡與協調。與此同時，美國駐吉布提的2000人特種部隊已歸屬非洲司令部領導。非洲司令部將總共從歐洲、中央和太平洋三個司令部接管182項軍事任務，目前已接管了24項。

　　美軍極力在非洲設立司令部具有多重考慮。首先是確保非洲對美國的能源供給。據預測，到2015年非洲石油將占美國石油總輸入的25%，超過美國從整個海灣地區進口的石油。

　　此外，還有一個不便明言的目的，那就是“制衡中國在非洲日益擴大的影響力”。美國參議院對外關係委員會5月15日剛召開了關於中國“軟實力”的聽證會，中非關係及對美國的影響是其中重點。不少人擔心中國將與美國在非洲爭奪資源和影響力。

http://news.yam.com/afp/international/200805/20080519451493.html
南韓政府動員軍方 與禽流感全面對抗
法新社╱樊劍萍 2008-05-19 00:05    
 
 
（法新社首爾十八日電）南韓官員說，南韓今天再度動員軍方協助對抗禽流感，為了阻止禽流感疫情擴散，南韓已經撲殺七百餘萬隻家禽。

農業部宣布，大約兩百名士兵被派往東南部的梁山市，協助撲殺三十一萬餘隻雞。

當局上個月曾經動員數百名軍人協助撲殺感染禽流感的家禽，但隨後又把這些士兵召回營區，因為其中一名士兵出現可能傳染禽流感的症狀。這名士兵後來幸好無恙。

自從四月一日起，南韓全力對抗最新爆發的禽流感。農業部表示，在全國三十三個地點總共接到四十二件禽流感病例的報告。

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20080518/wl_asia_afp/healthfluskorea_080518091929;_ylt=As9RrIq0rUCO8Ly4bMGOgS7tOrgF
SKorea mobilises troops for bird flu fight

Sun May 18, 5:19 AM ET

SEOUL (AFP) - South Korea on Sunday mobilised army soldiers for the second time to help battle an outbreak of bird flu, which has already led to the culling of more than seven million poultry, officials said.
 
About 200 soldiers helped kill more than 310,000 chickens and other poultry in the southeastern city of Yangsan hit by the H5N1 virus, the agriculture ministry said.

Hundreds of soldiers had already been deployed to help destroy infected birds, but were called back to their barracks last month after one soldier showed possible bird flu symptoms. He was later found to be healthy.

South Korea has been battling its latest outbreak of avian flu since April 1. The agriculture ministry has since reported 42 cases of bird flu at 33 places around the country.

No human infections have been confirmed in South Korea even though the H5N1 virus has killed more than 240 people worldwide since late 2003.

But the discovery of the H5N1 strain in the capital Seoul and other major cities has fuelled fears of possible human victims.

The government is restricting the distribution and sale of live poultry for human consumption. It has already banned the butchering of chickens and other poultry at traditional markets.

In the country's 2003-2004 outbreak, 5.28 million birds were culled while a 2006-2007 outbreak resulted in 2.8 million birds being destroyed.

http://news.yam.com/afp/international/200805/20080509253685.html
喬治亞總統稱對俄戰事一觸即發　但無力交戰
法新社╱張仲琬 2008-05-09 10:20     
 
 
（法新社莫斯科八日電）喬治亞境內分離地區情勢日益緊張之際，喬治亞總統薩卡希維利今天警告，與俄羅斯的戰爭可能一觸即發；而俄羅斯即將展開由總統麥維德夫與其政治良師、總理蒲亭領導的雙軌制。

薩卡希維利在喬治亞城市巴統接受俄羅斯記者訪問時表示：「我想，數天前戰爭幾乎就要爆發，而威脅目前仍未消失。不過，武裝衝突需要雙方才能形成，而喬治亞這方並不想開戰。」

新聞報導引述薩卡希維利的談話指出：「喬治亞無法與俄羅斯干戈相向。我們沒有足夠的戰鬥部隊，北大西洋公約組織也不會為此議題協助我們。」

這位喬治亞總統不斷遊說，讓他領導下的這個前蘇聯共和國加入北大西洋公約組織。

總統薩卡希維利發出這項警告的時間點，正值喬治亞阿柏克茲亞地區的緊張情勢不斷增溫之際。喬治亞指控俄羅斯的維和部隊，支持當地分離份子。

昨日宣誓就職、成為蒲亭繼任者的麥維德夫，還是外交政策的生手，並籠罩在這個強權前總統蒲亭的陰影下。

http://news.yam.com/afp/international/200805/20080509248804.html
喬治亞如增兵阿柏克茲亞地區 俄羅斯將跟進
法新社╱樊劍萍 2008-05-09 00:20    
 
 
（法新社莫斯科八日電）「國際傳真社」引述國防部報導，俄羅斯今天揚言，如果喬治亞在尋求分離的阿柏克茲亞增加駐軍，俄羅斯將派遣更多部隊前往這個地區。

國防部說：「假如喬治亞軍方派遣更多部隊前往這個衝突地區，只會導致俄羅斯方面採取必要與適當的措施，將維持和平部隊的人數增加到最高上限。」 

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20080508/wl_afp/georgiarussiaconflict_080508155347;_ylt=AnryvE7.CcUji.Wy9DbBO62QOrgF
Georgia warns of war risk with Russia

by Dario Thuburn
55 minutes ago

MOSCOW (AFP) - Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili warned of a risk of war with Russia on Thursday amid tension over a separatist region and as Moscow began dual leadership under President Dmitry Medvedev and his mentor, Prime Minister Vladimir Putin.
 
"I think that several days ago we were close and this threat remains. But for armed conflict you need two sides, and the Georgian side does not want this," Saakashvili told Russian journalists in the Georgian city of Batumi.

"Georgia could not fight Russia. We do not have enough battle-ready units and NATO will not help us with this," Saakashvili, who has lobbied for his former Soviet republic to join NATO, was quoted by news agencies as saying.

The warning came as tensions mounted over the Georgian separatist region of Abkhazia, where Russia has stationed peacekeeping troops seen as giving backing to the separatists, and on the eve of a Soviet-style Red Square military parade.

Medvedev, who was inaugurated as president on Wednesday, taking over from Putin, is untested on foreign policy and overshadowed by his powerful mentor.

Putin, who is known for his fiery pronouncements on Western moves in ex-Soviet states, was confirmed in the prime minister's post on Thursday.

Tensions over Abkhazia have prompted expressions of concern from the United Nations, the European Union and the United States.

On Tuesday, the United States bluntly urged Russia to "cease from further provocations" in Abkhazia and another Georgian rebel region, South Ossetia.

Abkhazia and South Ossetia broke away from Georgia in the early 1990s in conflicts that killed several thousand people and led hundreds of thousands of Georgians to flee their homes.

The two regions have since operated as de facto independent statelets with strong backing from Russia, which has further boosted links with the separatists after recognition of Kosovo's independence by Western countries.

A Kremlin official in Moscow reacted sharply to Saakashvili's comments on Thursday, saying it was "difficult to believe" the Georgian leader had said the two neighbours were close to war.

"Any responsible politician, never mind a head of state, could hardly throw around such pronouncements," the official told AFP on condition of anonymity.

Russia earlier accused Georgia of preparing to invade Abkhazia and has sent additional peacekeepers to the region, bringing the total number of its soldiers in the area to more than 2,500.

Russia's defence ministry on Thursday said it could raise troop levels further to 3,000 servicemen, the maximum allowed under accords to end the fighting between Georgia and Abkhaz rebels.

Georgia has denied any preparations for an attack on Abkhazia saying it wants a peaceful resolution of the stand-off and has in turn accused Moscow of stirring up tensions in the volatile Caucasus region.

"If someone wanted to annex part of Georgia then this would unavoidably lead to consequences in the north Caucasus," Saakashvili was quoted as saying, in reference to troubled Russian provinces just to the north of Georgia, such as war-ravaged Chechnya.

Meanwhile the Abkhaz separatist leadership on Thursday claimed it had shot down another Georgian unmanned spy plane, the latest in a series of such claims. Georgia denied it occurred.

Tensions spiked last month when Georgia said a Russian fighter jet had shot down one of its unmanned spy planes, calling it "an act of aggression." Russia denied any involvement.

http://news.yam.com/afp/international/200805/20080501086512.html
傳俄增派維和部隊抵達喬治亞叛離地區
法新社╱陳政一 2008-05-01 16:35     
 
 
（法新社莫斯科一日電）俄羅斯新聞社引述俄國國防部的話說，儘管喬治亞反對，北大西洋公約組織關切，莫斯科增派的部隊今天抵達喬治亞鬧叛離的地區阿柏克茲亞。

俄國三大新聞社引述國防部新聞室的話說，這些士兵「正在完成他們在阿柏克茲亞地區特克瓦謝利陣地的部署」。

「伊塔─塔斯社」、「俄羅斯新聞社」和「國際傳真社」說，這些部隊正在架設營地、防禦工事和通訊設施。

目前仍不清楚俄羅斯增派多少部隊。俄國根據一九九零年代喬治亞與阿柏克茲少數族群結束分離戰爭達成的協議，已在阿柏克茲亞部署兩千多維和部隊。

報導中說，國防部強調「俄羅斯維和部隊總人數未超過國際協議所同意的上限」。

特克瓦謝利是科多瑞峽谷附近的一個地區。科多瑞峽谷是一個林木蓊鬱的山谷，山谷的一端由與俄羅斯關係密切的阿柏克茲叛亂份子所控制，另一端由喬治亞控制。

莫斯科宣稱，俄國增派部隊是在回應喬治亞打算從科多瑞峽谷對阿柏克茲亞發動攻擊。

喬治亞親西方的政府駁斥這項指控，並指責俄羅斯兼併這個鬧叛離的地區。阿柏克茲亞叛離部隊靠著俄國的財政和其他援助才能夠存活下來。

喬治亞總統薩卡希維利的特別代表巴克拉德茲昨天告訴法新社，俄羅斯增派維和部隊無異於「展開全面軍事侵略行動」。

http://www.nasdaq.com/aspxcontent/NewsStory.aspx?cpath=20080501%5cACQDJON200805010359DOWJONESDJONLINE000349.htm&&mypage=newsheadlines&title=UPDATE:%20Russian%20Troops%20Arrive%20In%20Georgian%20Rebel%20Zone%20-Report

UPDATE: Russian Troops Arrive In Georgian Rebel Zone -Report

(Updates with details on deployment, background.)

MOSCOW (AFP)--Extra Russian troops deployed Thursday in the Georgian separatist zone of Abkhazia, news agencies quoted the Russian Defense Ministry as saying, despite Georgia's objections and concern in NATO.

The soldiers "are completing their deployment at their positions in the Tkvarcheli district of Abkhazia," Russia's three main news agencies quoted the ministry press office as saying.

The troops were setting up camp, defenses and communications, the ITAR-TASS, RIA Novosti and Interfax agencies said.

There was no immediate information about how many extra troops had been sent to bolster the force of more than 2,000 peacekeepers already deployed under accords ending the separatist war between Georgia and the Abkhaz minority in the early 1990s.

The defense ministry said that the "total number of Russian peacekeepers does not exceed the numerical limits agreed under international agreements," the agencies reported.

Tkvarcheli is an area near the Kodori Gorge, a forested mountain valley controlled at one end by the Abkhaz rebels, who have close links to Russia, and at the other by Georgians.

Moscow announced the extra deployment in response to what it said were Georgian plans to launch an assault on Abkhazia from the Kodori Gorge.

Georgia's pro-Western government has rejected the accusation and accuses Russia of annexing the rebel territory, where the separatist forces survive on financial and other help from Russia.

Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili's special representative, David Bakradze, told AFP Wednesday that the increase in Russian peacekeepers amounted to "the beginning of full scale military aggression."

The North Atlantic Treaty Organization, which Georgia is pressing hard to join, warned Wednesday that Russia's latest moves in Abkhazia "have increased tensions and have undermined Georgia's territorial integrity."

"The allies are unanimous in supporting, endorsing Georgia's territorial integrity and will not recognize or support steps that undermine that sovereignty," NATO spokesman James Appathurai said. The U.S. also said it was " concerned".

The Russian Foreign Ministry has stated it will intervene if war breaks out between Georgia and the Abkhaz separatists, citing the right to protect Russian citizens.

Most people in Abkhazia and South Ossetia, another smaller rebel zone, have Russian passports following Moscow's policy of encouraging residents there to take up citizenship.

http://news.yam.com/afp/life/200805/20080501086437.html
調查:擔心負面影響 美軍有心理問題不敢求援
法新社╱王黛麗 2008-05-01 15:50     
 
 
（法新社華盛頓三十日電）美國精神科協會委託市調公司哈利斯互動所做的調查今天公布，結果顯示完成數次輪調伊拉克或阿富汗任務的美軍士兵表示，他們身上出現與壓力相關的毛病，與派駐伊拉克與阿富汗有關。

調查指出，因為顧忌被污名化或怕見自己事業一落千丈，大部分士兵會隱藏他們的心理問題。

將近六分之一的美軍表示，因駐紮戰區讓他們飽受與壓力有關的「負面經驗」之苦。

研究顯示，僅一成的人為心理健康尋求治療；此研究共有三百四十七名美軍及其配偶接受調查。

逾六成受訪者表示，因擔心對軍職生涯帶來不利影響，他們多避免求助心理治療。

五成三的人說，如果他們因戰鬥任務引起的心理疾病而去尋求協助，感覺會被人瞧不起。

三分之二的美軍表示，他們很少與親友談論心理健康問題。

調查顯示，將近一半的美軍士兵（四成八）表示有睡眠障礙，五成的人感覺抑鬱，三分之一的人對日常活動缺乏興趣。

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20080430/hl_afp/ushealthmilitary_080430203040
Fearing stigma, US soldiers hide mental problems: study

Wed Apr 30, 4:30 PM ET

WASHINGTON (AFP) - A majority of US soldiers who have done tours of duty in Iraq or Afghanistan say they suffer from stress-related troubles linked to their deployments, a study showed Wednesday.
 
But most keep their psychological problems to themselves for fear of being stigmatized or seeing their careers take a nose-dive, the study conducted by Harris Interactive for the American Psychiatric Association (APA) showed.

Nearly six in 10 US military members said their deployment in a war zone has caused them to suffer from "negative experiences" associated with stress.

But a mere 10 percent have sought treatment for mental health concerns, according to the study, which surveyed 347 members of the US military and their spouses.

Just over 60 percent said they avoided seeking help for mental health problems because they feared doing so would impact negatively on their career.

Fifty-three percent said they felt others would think less of them if they were to seek help for psychological troubles resulting from their deployment.

Two-thirds of military members said they rarely, if ever, talk about their mental health with family and friends.

Nearly half (48 percent) of the soldiers said they had difficulty sleeping, half reported feeling depressed, and one-third reported a lack of interest in daily activities, the study showed.

All of those problems are symptomatic of post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), which, along with major depression and traumatic brain injury, afflict nearly one in five of the 1.6 million US soldiers who have fought in Iraq and Afghanistan, according to a separate study released by the RAND Corporation earlier this month.

In the APA study, around two-thirds of military spouses said running a home alone while their partner was deployed caused them stress, and more than half reported stress related to being a single parent while the soldier-spouse was at war.

Nearly twice as many poll respondents -- 65 percent -- said they were unfamiliar with the warning signs of mental health problems that might result from being in a war zone as those who said they knew what to look for -- 35 percent.

The mental injuries US soldiers are bringing back from Iraq and Afghanistan have been dubbed the "invisible wounds" of war.

The RAND Corporation study estimated the cost of treating soldiers diagnosed with PTSD or depression in the first two years following their return from Iraq or Afghanistan at up to 6.2 billion dollars.

http://news.yam.com/afp/international/200805/20080501086387.html
北約警告俄羅斯停止破壞喬治亞領土完整
法新社╱陳政一 2008-05-01 14:50     
 
 
（法新社布魯塞爾一日電）在俄羅斯宣布將加派維和部隊前往兩個鬧叛離的喬治亞地區後，北大西洋公約組織昨天警告俄國停止破壞喬治亞的領土完整。

俄羅斯這項舉動引起美國的關切，歐洲聯盟則表示，任何軍事集結均是不明智的。莫斯科表示，此舉是在反制喬治亞在阿柏克茲亞和南歐希夏附近集結部隊。

北約發言人阿帕殊萊說：「俄羅斯所採取的行動，以及揚言使用武力的言詞，已升高緊張情勢，並破壞喬治亞的領土完整。」

他表示：「北約盟邦一致支持喬治亞的領土完整，將不會認可或支持破壞該項主權的行動。」

北約在上月舉行的高峰會中宣布，儘管俄羅斯堅決反對，喬治亞有朝一日將會成為北約成員。

俄國反對北約向其邊界逼近，並高度關切喬治亞與莫斯科的冷戰時代敵人和解，可能造成上述兩個叛離地區的不穩定。

喬治亞宣稱，俄羅斯近三個月來一直加強對阿柏克茲亞的控制，並與該地區當局建立直接關係。

為了報復，喬治亞矢言，除非莫斯科放棄與這兩個地區直接貿易的計畫，該國將阻止俄羅斯加入世界貿易組織。

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20080430/wl_afp/russiageorgiamilitaryconflicttroopsnato_080430200914;_ylt=Ar0eL2cforuF6EpvUrExTyKQOrgF
NATO warns Russia not to interfere in Georgia

by Lorne Cook
Wed Apr 30, 4:09 PM ET

BRUSSELS (AFP) - NATO warned Russia Wednesday to stop undermining Georgia's territorial integrity, after Moscow announced it would send more peacekeepers to two rebel Georgian regions.
 
Russia's move, to counter what it said was the massing of Georgian troops near Abkhazia and South Ossetia, raised concern in the United States while the European Union has said that any military build-up would not be wise.

"The steps that have been taken (by Russia) and the rhetoric that has been used concerning the threat of force have increased tensions and have undermined Georgia's territorial integrity," NATO spokesman James Appathurai said.

"The allies are unanimous in supporting, endorsing Georgia's territorial integrity and will not recognise or support steps that undermine that sovereignty," he said.

NATO announced at a summit early this month that Georgia would one day become a member of the 26-nation military alliance, in the face of fierce Russian opposition.

Russia objects to NATO moving closer to its borders and is deeply concerned that the breakaway regions could be destabilised by Tbilisi's rapprochement with Moscow's old Cold War-era foe.

Georgia claims that Russia has, over the last three months, strengthened its control over Abkhazia and established direct ties with the local authorities.

In a tit-for-tat measure, Tbilisi vowed Wednesday to block Russia's bid to join the World Trade Organisation unless it drops plans for direct trade links with the two regions.

The Russian peacekeeping announcement is only fuelling problems, said President Mikheil Saakashvili's new "special representative" and top Georgian diplomat, David Bakradze.

"It's hard to believe that this is being done for the purposes of peacekeeping, it's rather the beginning of full-scale military aggression," he told AFP by telephone during a trip to Brussels.

"The Georgian side, as the host country, should be notified in advance and there should be consent from Georgia on any troop deployment, including peacekeepers. We have not been notified," he said.

"Peacekeeping is not strengthened by unilateral steps."

White House spokeswoman Dana Perino said the United States was concerned about the situation.

"We respect Georgia's territorial integrity, and we would urge everyone to maintain a level of dialogue, rather than take any further action," she told reporters, adding that due to the fast-changing situation it would be imprudent of her to comment further.

Russia has peacekeepers in Abkhazia and South Ossetia under an agreement with Georgia from the 1990s following wars in which separatists broke away and established close ties with Moscow.

The Russian defence ministry did not say how many extra soldiers were being sent, but said that 15 new observation posts would be set up on the front line in Abkhazia.

Around 2,000 Russians serve there and a further 1,000 in South Ossetia.

As the rhetoric escalated, Appathurai said that neither Russia nor Georgia had informed the military alliance of any plans to actually move their forces, although he said Moscow could "technically" do so without notifying NATO.

But he said: "Have no doubt, everyone is watching very carefully what is happening on the ground."

Bakradze said that a UN mission monitoring Georgia and Abkhazia, UNOMIG, "verifies everything" in terms of his country's military deployments.

"If there is something on our side, it will immediately be known," he said, adding: "We're not going to move troops."

In a statement on April 21, UNOMIG said that its monitors "did not observe anything to substantiate reports of a build-up of forces on either side."

Appathurai said that Russian and NATO ambassadors, in a regular meeting Wednesday, had "a clear and sometimes sharp exchange of views but certainly no meeting of minds" over the region.

The ambassadors, in their so-called North Atlantic Council, will travel to Georgia in "coming months" in a show of support for the would-be member, officials have said.

http://news.chinatimes.com/2007Cti/2007Cti-News/2007Cti-News-Content/0,4521,110504+112008050100611,00.html
中國時報 2008.05.01　
國際瞭望：阿布哈茲問題觸發俄與北約衝突
本報訊

    　2月間科索沃宣布獨立之後，俄羅斯便公開表示，不排除承認阿布哈茲從喬治亞獨立的可能，現在俄羅斯與喬治亞彼此在阿布哈茲增兵，衝突難免，而又由於「北大西洋公約組織」涉及其中，也許會釀成北約與俄羅斯的衝突。

    　問題是這樣的：遠在1989年，阿布哈茲得政黨便要求脫離喬治亞，要不就加入俄羅斯共和國，那就獨立，於是與喬治亞中央政府搞翻，到1992年時雙方關係完全惡化，全面爆發軍事衝突。1993年，謝瓦納澤（原蘇聯外長）返回喬治亞並奪得政權，而為了消滅政敵，他加入俄羅斯主導的「獨立國家國協」（亦稱「獨聯體」，他將進攻阿布哈茲的力量轉而對付政敵，俄國也制止了阿布哈茲的武裝行動，而在1994年，獨聯體元首理事會決定由俄國派遣維和部隊在阿布哈茲維和。但這個較平靜局面到近年有了變化，喬治亞經過「玫瑰革命」後已傾向西方，要加入北約，俄羅斯便加強與阿布哈茲的合作。

    　俄羅斯要承認並支持阿布哈茲獨立有道理嗎？也是有的，因為阿布哈茲80％的人口都有俄羅斯國籍，如果說科索沃有90％阿爾巴尼亞人就可以獨立，那麼阿布哈茲有80％俄籍人為什麼就不能獨立？

    　北約發言人4月29日在布魯塞爾說：「北約今天重申阿布哈茲是喬治亞領土不可分割的一部份」，並認為俄國的維和部隊必須撤離阿布哈茲。俄羅斯當然不聽這一套，反而增兵阿布哈茲。北約不認為科索沃是塞爾維亞共和國領土不可分割的一部份，卻說阿布哈茲是喬治亞領土不可分割的一部份，這不是雙重標準的認定嗎？看來歐美與俄羅斯的較勁很難有平息之日。塞爾維亞怕北約軍事攻擊而不敢對科索沃動武，喬治亞現在怕俄國出兵也未必敢動武，除非北約支持它這樣做，但那就形成北約與俄國的衝突了。