US and Georgia refuse to call for a renunciation of force

Xinhuanet reports:

The UN Security Council failed again Saturday in its attempt to agree on a truce call for the parties involved in the bitter fighting in Georgia's breakaway region of South Ossetia.

On Saturday afternoon, the 15-member body concluded its third round of an emergency session in the past 48 hours without adopting a statement that would have called for a cease-fire.

In a briefing to the council at the closed-door meeting, UN Assistant Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations Edmond Mulet said hostilities are continuing in Georgia and there have been a "substantial number of casualties, refugees and destruction."

Citing reports from UN peacekeepers in the region, Mulet expressed concerns that the conflict may spread into Abkhazia, another rebel enclave inside Georgia.

Belgian UN Ambassador Jan Grauls, the council's president this month, told reporters that several council members expressed "grave concern on the further deterioration of the situation in Georgia."

"It is clear that the conflict has now expanded in other areas than only South Ossetia," he said.

When asked about the council's attempt to call for a cease-fire, Grauls said it would be nearly impossible for the council to take any actions at the moment.

"Regrettably I have come to the conclusion that it will be very difficult, if not impossible, to find common ground within the council on a draft statement to the press," Grauls said.

The Security Council had met late night Thursday and early Friday but failed to agree on a Russia-drafted statement that would call on Georgia and South Ossetian rebels to renounce the use of force.

Georgia, backed by the United States and some other council members, rejected the wording calling for the renunciation of force.
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Well, that is pretty clear, ain't it? Saakashvili is talking about a truce, but he refuses to call for a renunciation of force. And, of course, the USA is "backing" (read: controlling) him.