Olympic Party as the Tanks roll.

OnFriday (8thAugust) I like billions of others was watching the Olympic openingceremony in Beijing. Little did I know that while the TV showedsmiling world leaders clapping their teams, Russian tanks had crossedthe Georgian border defend the break away region of South Ossetia.Georgian troops had launched a full-scale attack the night beforeafter days of fighting to retake South Ossetia. Theregion effectively broke away shortly after Georgia gained itsindependence following the break up of the USSR. Russia enforced acease-fire and has maintained peacekeepers in the region ever since,even though the separatists aim is to become part of Russia and joinwith the ethnic cousins in North Ossetia.NowI am not going to paint Georgia as the paragon of virtue, it is aflawed democracy and its President has shown authoritariantendencies.Butat the worst Georgia was doing what Russia did in Chechnyaor Croatia did in the Krajinato attempt to impose its rule by force within its internationallyrecognized borders. And unlike Croatia it has offered full autonomywithin Georgia under international supervision.NowRussia has launched a full-scale invasion of South Ossetia saying itwill not cease-fire until it has recaptured all the territory lost tothe Georgians in the last few days. Georgia has said that it is atwar with Russia and called for an immediate cease-fire.Nowthis conflict goes beyond the rights of Georgia and South Ossetia, wenow have a member of the Council of Europe that aspires to EU andNATO membership being invaded by a UN Security Council Member.Ifit stays so and Russia effectively takes control of S Ossetia andannexes it in all but name, then we are back to real politic and theidea of big states doing what they like in their own backyard. Thiswill not only mean that Georgia's European dream ends, but thatother states on the border of Russia face the real danger of becomingvassal states.Europeand the wider international community must put pressure on Russiaeven to call a cease-fire and accept peacekeepers into South Ossetia.These peacekeepers cannot be Russian, as Russia is now party to theconflict. If necessary we must be willing to impose economicsanctions on Russia and Georgia if they refuse to cease-fire andallow in neutral peacekeepers.TheEU must offer to put in troops to allow both sides to withdraw, thiswould meet Russia formal objective of securing South Ossetia andallow people to return to their homes and rebuild, both those whofled recently and those who were forced out in the 1990's. TheGeorgian Government has said they are willing to give S Ossetia fullautonomy, if the EU took over peacekeeping this could be achievedwith Russia and the EU guaranteeing S Ossetia's autonomy withinGeorgia, thereby achieving both countries formal demands. Now I amnot naïve enough to believe that such a deal would be easy.ButIf this does not happen then 2008 will be remember not for a goodparty in Beijing, but as the year that Europe was again divided toformal spheres of influence and a new cold war divided our continent.