Utah residents worry about family in Republic of Georgia


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It appears Russia has launched a new western front in the conflict with its former satellite, Georgia.

Monday Russian troops moved deeper into the former Soviet Republic, and people from that part of the world living here in Utah are fearing for their families.

There's been fierce fighting since late last week, and unconfirmed reports that 2,000 people have been killed. A Utah resident from Georgia and a college professor both say the world must pay attention to what's happening.

Utah residents worry about family in Republic of Georgia

In the country of Georgia a battle of David and Goliath proportions is echoing the sounds of war. Russian troops are on the move as Georgian soldiers now look to protect their capitol.

Here in Utah, a man we'll call George is concerned about his family back home. He speaks to his brother in the Georgian Military Reserve.

"We just want the freedom and we just want the peace," he said. "That's all we want."

It all started late last week. The president of the democratic nation and NATO hopeful moved soldiers into the pro-Russian enclave called South Ossetia.

Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili said,"This is the most surreal world crisis I could ever imagine, and it's very unfortunate that it's happening in my country. I insist it's happening unprovoked by us."

But some say the move was an effort to take back Georgia's legal territory. Russia has since answered with crushing military force.

An adjunct professor on Russian politics at the University of Utah, Marjorie Castle, compares the country's response with an analogy of our borders in the U.S. "The world definitely needs to be concerned about what is happening," she said.

George said, "I have lots of Russian friends and we have been friends with Russia for ages."

Weber State math professor George Kvernadze is worried about his family back home in Georgia, also. "They have been scared. The latest news is that Russian troops are in reach of the capital, while Georgian troops have gone back to the capital to defend."

He says his mother just had a heart attack and is in the hospital. His family was worried the hospital would be hit by airstrikes but so far they are OK.

He hears rumors Russia wants to change Georgia's government or control the oil pipelines running through the country.

Kvernadze has lived in the U.S. for 15 years. He says he's glad the U.S. is speaking out about the conflict, but he thinks some "harder diplomacy" may be in order.

Despite the tough talk in Washington, there was no specific threat of any consequences Russia might face if it ignores the warnings. American officials said they were working with U.S. allies in Europe and elsewhere, as well as with the Russians, to defuse the crisis.

Meanwhile, the State Department said it has evacuated more than 170 American citizens from Georgia.

E-mail: wjohnson@ksl.com
E-mail: mrichards@ksl.com

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