The World moves on troll. Gone are the days of sending the Royal Navy to run Gunship Diplomacy.

 

h!!p://uk.news.yahoo.com/politics/20080827/tpl-miliband-visits-ukraine-as-russia-up-81c5b50.html

Miliband visits Ukraine as Russia ups the stakes

 UK Foreign secretary David Miliband is visiting Ukraine today, as he seeks to build an international "coalition" against Russia's actions in Georgia.

Yesterday Russia announced it would recognise the independence of Georgia's breakaway provinces South Ossetia and Abkhazia, angering the Foreign Office and other members of the international community.

Mr Miliband responded by saying he would seek the "widest possible coalition against Russian aggression in Georgia".

He will meet the Ukrainian president, Viktor Yushchenko, as well as his prime minister Yulia Tymoshenko and foreign minister Vladimir Ogryzko in Kiev today.

The Ukrainians have a tense relationship with Russia at present thanks to the presence of Russia's Black Sea fleet in the Crimea, which has been used in operations against Georgia in the recent conflict. Its lease expires in 2017.

Mr Yushchenko's links with Britain are strong at present after a successful visit to London earlier this year, in which he courted British support for Ukrainian entry into Nato.

And with Britain being a vociferous supporter of a more confrontational policy with Russia than other European countries like France and Germany, today's visit is likely to continue harmonious relations.

Mr Miliband described Russia's decision to recognise South Ossetia and Abkhazia as "unjustifiable and unacceptable".

He criticised it for not taking into account the views of thousands of people forced to abandon their homes in the two territories and for not adhering to the principles of the peace agreement.

"We fully support Georgia's independence and territorial integrity, which cannot be changed by decree from Moscow," Mr Miliband said.

"We again call on Russia to abide by international law as the basis for resolving this crisis; and to implement urgently and in full Russia's commitments to withdraw forces from Georgia to pre-August 7th positions."