Bush, Dutch leader discuss EU stand on Georgia
President George W Bush thanked Dutch Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende for the strong stand the European Union has taken on the continuing Russian military presence in Georgia, the White House said on Tuesday.
By Agencies |
WASHINGTON : President George W Bush thanked Dutch Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende for the strong stand the European Union has taken on the continuing Russian military presence in Georgia, the White House said on Tuesday.
Gordon Johndroe, a spokesman for the National Security Council, said Bush spoke by phone with Balkenende. ``The two leaders also discussed the importance of supporting Georgia's territorial integrity and reconstruction,'' Johndroe said.
The EU threatened on Monday to postpone talks on a new economic and political deal until Russian troops withdraw from positions inside Georgia. Russia has pulled back from most of the Georgian territory it seized in fighting last month but is keeping troops in what it called security zones around the separatist enclaves of South Ossetia and Abkhazia.
The United States and the EU say that violates cease-fire terms.
Johndroe said the two leaders also discussed Afghanistan, where Dutch troops are battling the Taliban, and energy diversification.
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``The president underscored the importance of bringing India into the nonproliferation regime, including through the work that will take place this week at the Nuclear Suppliers Group meetings in Vienna,'' Johndroe said. A US-India nuclear cooperation agreement is on track to be approved this week by the 45 country Nuclear Suppliers Group, which governs the world's trade in nuclear materials.
The president also thanked Balkenende for Dutch experts who have assisted with hurricane preparations on the coast of the Gulf of Mexico.
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