action and the legacy of that decision here's what the russian leader had to say. i said mr president thank you very much for agreeing to answer our questions then let us go back to the events of two thousand and eight back then you met with the georgian president mikheil saakashvili your meeting took place in st petersburg and there was an impression at that point both in tbilisi and in moscow that we had arrived at some sort of an accord and the dispute would not be allowed to pull over into an armed conflict and i reiterate that this feeling was present both in moscow and in tbilisi could you tell us that he managed to agree on anything with the georgian president back then. that you know catherine i had the same impression at the time i can still recall meeting president saakashvili for the first time it was in some petersburg we met in the constantine palace and mr secretary arrived i told him literally you know there are many problems in the region at the moment georgia is an obstacle of these unrecognized states but i can assure you that as

a newly elected president of russia i shall do everything in my capacity to help you find some compromise solution that would accommodate everyone and would eventually facilitate a reintegration of georgian territory if that's acceptable for all the parties in a cage a negotiation naturally this is what i told her word for word and his response was spot of course we are ready to cooperate and i also have this impression that we could at least try to find some creative solutions if not a new chapter in time but first of all there was an opportunity to meet on a regular basis which i can tell you earnestly i spent the next month checking regularly for any feedback from our georgian counterparts. but at the same time georgia was getting more and more visits from envoys from across the ocean as they would be double. shifts the moment of truth for me as i realized later while analyzing those events in hindsight over and over again came with a visit by u.s.

secretary of state condi lisa rice following that visit my georgian colleague simply dropped. all communication with us he simply stopped talking to us he stopped writing letters and making phone calls it was apparent that he had some new plans now and those plans were implemented later. mr president am i correct to assume that the way you see the visit by the u.s. secretary of state was meant to urge president saakashvili. do you think the united states was deliberately encouraging georgia to pursue a conflict with almost no i don't think so the united states is a very large country headed by pragmatic people but in politics connotations a nuance is a very important as it is i don't believe the american said georgia's president to invade but i do believe that there were certain subtleties and certain hints made statements like it's time to restore constitutional order or it's time to be more assertive which could effectively feed saakashvili apparent hopes that the americans would back him in any conflict that they would stand up for georgia and

even go to war with the russians therefore i do see a relation between ms rice's visit to georgia and the events that followed just as i see a link in my further discussions with the u.s. president our phone conversation and then our meetings at that. one more question in here were but they still believe that russia's initial response was legitimate self-defense the further actions of the russian troops were excessive why wasn't it an option to push the georgian forces out of the set and stop at that point to change. of course. you know sophie people are free to make speculation like that and i have come across the many times putting yourself in the shoes of russia's commander in chief my shoes that is sure we could have merely forced them out and stopped there but what we're hearing from georgia we should fall back to our initial position and our american friends and their allies will help us rearm get

our new aircraft and whatnot and then we should resume the same offensive with renewed. well letting them do that would have been a crime against the memory of those who died protecting their land and therefore our mission at the time was to destroy georgia's war machine so that it wouldn't be able to target civilians i settled. on the russian federation because as you know it's all mixed there. mr president you were referring to the peace and foursomes operation and i keep thinking back to today libya and syria when do you consider it acceptable to stand . for deciding whether it's ok to launch a piece of me she's got that here is russia billion to gadhafi in libya and here it is imposing sanctions against syria how do you did your decisions on georgia back then and russia's stance on today's prices. you see alexey it's always case by case there are no identical countries and there are no identical solutions i guess it's

clear to you what is going on in libya there's a man who has been running the country for forty years and at some point he decided to use force against his own people and this was condemned by the entire international community including russia which is we're not taking any part in the military campaign reza few nations are attempting to instill order in libya through military means we don't think it's the right thing to do but there is one nuance you should keep in mind georgia had been split into three parts by the time of the war with them it should have been about pulling the country back together for them rather than merely restoring constitutional order of libya is still in one piece such a risk does exist for libya but so far the parties in the conflict ending the so-called rebels in the program daffy forces have pledged to preserve their country's territorial integrity so the situations are quite different however i'm not saying this to explain how we make decisions i'm merely trying to demonstrate that all of

these situations and scenarios are totally diverse. this goes for other countries as well. what about syria and. syria is a more complex issue but sadly their situation has been unfolding in a very dramatic way so far. all of us practical politician should keep a close watch on the developments in that country what gadhafi for one had issued unequivocal orders to slaughter opposition activists by contrast syria's president never ordered anything like that unfortunately people are dying in syria in grave numbers and that arouses our deepest concern that therefore in my discussions with president assad during our personal conversation with and in our correspondence i've been advocating one principle idea that he should immediately launch reforms reconcile with the opposition restore civil accord and start developing a modern state should he fail to do that he's in for

a grim faced and we will eventually have to take some decisions on syria to naturally we've been watching developments very attentively the situation is changing and so we're really active. and it enters the midst of the butts of this is a look at some of the numbers in the wake of the war in two thousand and eight russian envoy said the representatives of south a sect is the de facto government argue that the fighting in simi valley had claimed two thousand lives that was the number that was announced that later on russia's investigative committee estimate of the casualties if no more than one hundred fifty people meanwhile it was this alleged toll of ten thousand this would serve to some of the main reasons for launching this so-called peace important operation how do you account for this discrepancy now three years after the. i have explained by rationale for taking out a decision on the numerous occasions you see i didn't get any figures for the motivation this isn't exactly

a case for mathematics that we remind you what was going on where on the night between. the seventh the eighth i received a phone call from the defense minister i was on the vacation at the time sailing down the volga river and the whole world was looking forward to the olympics that were about to take off in china the minister told me that georgia had launched a full scale combat operation to be honest my initial reaction was completely down i told the minister we should check this. completely out of his mind maybe it's just a provocative act and maybe he stress test your settings trying to send us some kind of message and i will later minister reported to me this is no bluff they've done. it and they're using grad rocket launchers and whatnot i said all right i'll wait for another update or some more time if asked in the minister called again i have something to tell you i believe they've just leveled a tent full of our peacekeepers killing every one of them what was i supposed to do

i said return fire and shoot to kill or no figures had been announced at that point . mr president you said you gave the order to return fire the operation continued after the heavy weapons rolled in and the conflict turned into an all out could you tell us about how you made the decision to continue the operation and another question that all our colleagues would like answered who called whom first did you call prime minister first or did he call you how did you and the prime minister called you need to move. the first time i contacted him about a conflict was about twenty four hours after it had broken out that involved was already ablaze mr putin just made a statement condemning tbilisi's move that was the right thing to do of course we spoke twenty four hours after the attack over a secure line was i to understand it's not very appropriate to discuss matters like this by south areas it's also a lot of trouble to establish a secure line with someone who's in a different country we talked and then we talked when he came back but even before

his return i called to meet. of the security council i explained my position my decision to return fire and engage in conflict and security council members voiced their support for my decision some time later we had the meeting in which mr putin attended a dinner was. moving on the question of russia's accession to the world trade organization is very relevant these days russia wants into the w t o w c o wants russian the problem as far as we understand is that georgia is blocking russia's accession it is the only country that's not in favor of russia joining the w. there's been talk about georgia agreeing to agree to russia's succession if russia lifts its impact on the import of georgian goods will make some other concessions is russia willing to barter for it and what is your take on the prospect of russia joining the w.t.f. . that was very well put the one point i don't want to do is barter for it

that would be a moral georgia has a position on russia's w t o a session we respect that position as we respect the stance of any state as long as that position is in line with the goal set out in the charter trade trade preferences custom regimes we're ready to discuss it all the imports of wine of mineral water we will discuss anything but the problem is something else in essence our colleagues in georgia trying to force a new edition of the political problem under the guise of w t o a session i'm referring to entry points control over the traffic of goods then they will want to get the e.u. involved our position on this is clear if you want information about the traffic of goods including transit through abkhazia and south of setia we will provide it via a modern electronic database i've agreed to the suggestions made by the swiss president regarding this and i recently discussed it with president obama we're

ready to implement the model that switzerland has proposed to us however if they try to change current. the tickle reality yes that's what the serving is a prerequisite for russia doesn't need to have a session we won't fall for that. especially is not too high a price to pay thank you very much mr president with. her mum. the late.

mum. it's six. six . the week's top story from our t.v. the aaa that's now america's accounting exhausted to its credit crime is taking

down a run in the braiding as investors shudder over how the debt ceiling raid was handled . it rounded up a rocky week on global markets with wall street's worst week in over two years worsened by europe's data and fears of a second possible american recession. and as egypt's former president goes on trial for mass killing and option a weary public to see the replacement regime failing to meet the revolutions demands. but in neighboring israel the reform rallies swelled to quarter of a million people in tel aviv angry about the government's let me get out. more details on all those stories coming up at the top of the hour up next it's sport with andrew from.

hello there good to have you company and these are the headlines. the lead down league leaders t.s.r. to a new in the russian primarily to get within touching points of top spot. world number threes of on a rio by get nine when a right to reach the final to make your insurance open. to all those laws and i hired the tiger woods is alan scott takes the ride in the world golf championship. russian prime you. see has prices teams counter-attacking stars saw them grab at you know when i was in moscow the victory putting them within two points of the army men at the top of the table to go within one second half minute doing the damage alexander. after fifty four minutes for the pinpoint before a shockingly unmarked alexander a new course with the made it feeding keep but you go out and see if the new york post to meet remain unbeaten for nine straight games and inflicted on your second

defeat of the season on the back i agree if you look we have played c.s.k. in many times the new the attacking dangers of their food such as love and dumb beer so we made a decision to limit their space and to defend deep to try to catch them on the break they had no position but we were the team that won. elsewhere angie unveiled a russian midfielder the head of their home game against tom who they beat thanks to a first half goal from alexander put in a cough and a late strike from our cash god yeah i'm just a force to keep up the pressure on the league with some lingering in twelve spot meanwhile twenty seven year old here called joins from chelsea on a four year deal and hopes to play in next week's game against spartak moscow. elsewhere an impressive five game winning streak came to an abrupt. then for third place now moscow using three once the banks went ahead the city devendorf there haven't got any equalizer a great strike. but they have it of the second which was another d.c.

to give the band the lead again. and shortly after that so powerful efforts to keep calm called added the implied rank. while black a month eighty second minute winner still rostov move out of the bottom two one their way for them again struggling volga despite having sent off in the last seven minutes. let's look at today the new routine will try and hold their slide down the table they are currently fifth and travel to second body spot now jake terek host moscow a locomotive's new manager jose test said oh i'm sixty but his incredible start at the club going for his fourth win in four games against bolton side created yet still a locomotive have been one of the big spenders since the russian transfer window opened on the first of all grist for new players have joined the side which is

helped coach consider revive the moscow club is wrong across europe. the railway men have become the forty eight year old portuguese specialist ninth club in his coaching career besides the club circuit josie close a were also managed in national t.v. only showing during the twenty ten feet a world cup qualifiers where he defeated the likes of rimini austria and the faroe islands but these moments the team and the team a his more confidence. because in the game sat challenge some teams in the beach of course yes the stars asia too. but they seemed. the fire scene is ease of mind now this gets the acquisitions forward to lead it i said all the twenty two year old ecuadorean international joins look only at the from live on today in this banished league he played thirty two matches for his country's national team and scored five goals in the process over his relatively short professional career he's

played full five teams including manchester city boss sporting lisbon and spain's molokai and yvonne say another new arrival is the nigerian international twenty four year old winger victor a big not was also somewhat of a club hopper and enter milan player he spent the last two seasons on loan first for molokai in spain and the following year at west ham in the english premier league you can see a lot of players from a year old are coming over to rationally to support spades and more and different clubs here and also when a close plays in in europe on the globe stays in the champions league or in the europa league it motivates players a lot will be nice west hands he made man who held a caution also joined looking at sea during the summer transfer period the boards he's defenders trophies include the french cup in two thousand and six and the netherlands sides all in two thousand and seven with him as posing as a. high knowing. stories ago and. it was

a test i think that took me into training he says. as you say you want to play for border patrol so wouldn't you also we began looking at cvs latest signing is spanish fielder alberts is up there who joins the club from sporting lisbon it's what a six year old started in the league is our goal where he played for five years scoring five goals and winning the spanish super gop in the process in an interview with looking at seeds of official website zapatera admitted that he had offers from four spanish clubs as well as if they spar mock england's castle and olympiakos from greece however offer outweighed the rest mainly because of the new head coach is josie cole say rose personal involvement. so look at the bar yet to lose a match or even concede a goal under josie close sales the management team is now ready to reach new heights in the remainder of the season and that should help the team achieve that goal cost regards

a moscow. now an england bunch united face match to city in the charity shield at wembley later today this think traditional curtain raiser to the new premier league season which kicks off in a week's time he knighted held an open training session for fans at old trafford yesterday before they headed to london over fifteen thousand people turned up to get their first glimpse of the new signings midfield to ashley young defender phil jones and keep the key it all on show so it seems that the familiar faces of ninety fifth you see kept in the side today twenty think title i am wayne rooney who scored seventeen goals last season but failed to down that incidentally had a late sickness test head in today's. the pre-season with the virus. finished off their pre-season tour of america but the ten year old when ivan makes a case pub america video no picking at devon via that for the first meet by half and then in the final minute of the game said the fight but the second from point

blank range sixty eight thousand fans packed the cowboys stadium to watch this one pass and i head back to going to fail. your own are in the catalogue. boss who also play reality the following week in the sea pick up their rivals in good form to ending their tour of china with the six little flashy local side tianjin paid a packet getting the first from them to spoil the others came from the mary ann comes early when a christian a rebound got the pick of the girls there i write that bends and. i am tennis rush of it is of on video over is on course for her third title of the season the world number three coming from a set down to beat ana event of each to reach the final of the mercury insurance open in california she lost the first step but then came back to take the next to this the ninth win in a row for the twenty six year old real fall during the hard court season one of the over wallpapers i didn't get advance in the final after she feeds and we have

package also in three sets with france because i found the self behind the germany's power saw her take one set lead. however pet give it check a picture late in the second set largely because she was feeling sick and had to run off to the bathroom to vomit so she said afterwards. she did return for the deciding set. where advance guy who herself had a heavily strapped shoulder grounded x. six four to take the match. and in the men's going to check veteran radek stepanek has made the final of the legg mason classic in washington d.c. beating new kid on the block american donald young comprehensively six three six three although the c's was the first semifinal me a.t.p. tour for him but he couldn't cope against and he will face a fee for the title after the french recall another american tries not going to set one. in athletics olympic champion of could be going to next month's world

championships in south korea after all the russian has so far failed to qualify for the showpiece event but has now won the latest a major event ahead of it for the twenty six year old cleared to meet his thirty six centimeters at his first attempt at the diamond league meeting in london while three years ago a similar jump was good enough to see him off to take gold at the beijing olympics elsewhere two americans triumph in the sprints world record holder you saying bolt is sitting this one out so i want to dick's blew away the field in the men's two hundred meters while tom and i think jeff that was paralysed in the women's one hundred meters machine or just up her second straight victory in the diamond lead. now tiger woods is slip further down the leaderboard at the world golf championship in ohio the man to catch today is adam scott who has found a winning formula would tiger's for my caddie steve williams scott was in a four way tie for the lead at the start of the day but moved in the yeah right lead on the sixteenth with a pinpoint approach here he ended the day with

a sixty six to put him on twelve under par overall with a round to play that's a shot ahead of fellow was trailing jason de a nineteen year old japanese star but do you shake our tiger woods meanwhile had another disappointing round he carded a seventy two and will start the final round on one over admitting afterwards he struggled on the greens where to be fair he had. bit of a stink i. get today i didn't hit the ball well starting at all and i fixed it put together again and. really had a good coming home starting the ball over the right flight the right tragic never to shot was flush everything was back to where it was to begin the week the only difference is i didn't call again today and had to two horseshoes. three foot eighteen and you know i was the middle make a ball of this hand was there on sixteen of us four shots right there and that is all the sport we've got more at it like to.

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for the full story we've gone to. the biggest issues get a human voice face to face with the news makers. the week's top stories from our to cheat aaa that's now america's accounting anxiety its credit crown is taking down

a wrong in the ratings as investors shutter over how the debt ceiling raised was handled. it rounded off a rocky week on when markets with wall street's worst performance in over two years worsened by europe's doubts and fears of a second possible american recession. and as egypt's former president goes on trial for mass killing in the option a weary public see the replacement regime fowling to meet the revolution its demands. but in neighboring israel the reform rally swelled to a quarter of a million people in tel aviv angry about the government's left living out of happy . it's three pm in moscow and you're watching the weekly this sunday here in our.