Statement by Senator Obama on EU Emergency Summit Meeting

Chicago, IL | September 01, 2008

Chicago, IL - "I welcome the results of today's emergency summit of European Union leaders in Brussels. The EU made clear, as I have repeatedly insisted, that Georgia's territorial integrity must be respected, that Russia's recognition of South Ossetia and Abkhazia as independent states must be rejected, that the six-point peace plan of August 12 must be implemented in its entirety, and that Georgia must be given substantial humanitarian and economic assistance. I applaud the EU's decision to postpone talks on a new EU-Russia partnership until Russia fully honors its commitments. I also applaud the EU's decisions to send civilian monitors to Georgia as part of the necessary international monitoring mechanism provided for in the cease-fire agreement, and to sponsor an international conference to assist reconstruction in Georgia.

"Together with European and other partners, we must hold Russia accountable for its actions and stand united in support of a Europe in which all states can freely determine their foreign policies and alliances and in which the rule of law is respected."