Pat Dollard | Young Americans

China seeks cease-fire in South Ossetia

BEIJING, Aug. 9 (AP) - (Kyodo)—China on Saturday called on Russia and Georgia for a cease- fire as the escalating violence in the breakaway Georgian province of South Ossetia continued.

“China is seriously concerned about the worsening situation and armed conflict in South Ossetia,” Foreign Ministry spokesman Qin Gang said in a statement.

“We call on the relevant parties to exercise restraint and for a cease-fire immediately,” he said. “We sincerely expect the parties concerned to settle the dispute through dialogue and safeguard regional peace and stability.”

Beijing made the pitch as Russia sent troops into South Ossetia and bombed Georgian air bases Friday after Georgia began a military offensive to retake the province.

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UPDATE: 8:39

Fierce fighting reported in Georgia after Russian troop surge:

Fierce clashes between Russian and Georgian troops in the southern suburbs of Tskhinvali were reported by Russian news agencies during the night.

Georgia said it was under Russian aerial bombardment in what the country’s UN Ambassador Irakli Alasania described as “a full-scale military invasion.”

(AFP)

UPDATE: 5:30 PM

Georgia reports new air attacks at military bases Also

Georgia to impose martial law, port bombed-official

Source: Reuters

TBILISI, Aug 9 (Reuters) - Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili will declare martial law in a few hours time, the secretary of Georgia’s Security Council said early on Saturday.

“The president is going to declare a state of martial law within a few hours,” Kakha Lomaia told Reuters. “Russia has bombed the (Black Sea) port of Poti and the military base at Senaki. We think Russia has started to bomb civil and economic infrastructure.”
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VIDEO UPDATE 5:00 PM PST: Combat Video, Downed Aircraft, MLRS…. Watch Video…