Cheney Says Russia Runs Risk Confrontation With NATO

Sept. 6 (Bloomberg) — Vice President Dick Cheney said Russia’s military action in Georgia and assertiveness elsewhere run the risk of confrontation with the North Atlantic Treaty Organization military alliance.

“Our principles are being tested anew,” Cheney said in prepared remarks today at a global security conference in Cernobbio, Italy. “We must meet those tests with candor and resolve and, above all, with unity. Russia has a choice to make, and we in the trans-Atlantic alliance have responsibilities.”

…Cheney accused Russia of “bullying others” while using its oil wealth to fuel its own economic progress. “They cannot presume to gather up all the benefits of commerce, consultation and global prestige, while engaging in brute force, threats or other forms of intimidation against sovereign countries.”

…“In central Asia, the Caucasus and beyond, Russia has continued to use energy as a tool of force and manipulation,” Cheney said in the text of his speech.

Oil, Gas Supplies

He said Russia has “interrupted or threatened to interrupt” oil or natural gas flows to Georgia, Ukraine, the Baltic states and Belarus and earlier this year reduced deliveries to the Czech Republic.

“No part of this continent should leave itself vulnerable to a single country’s efforts to corner supplies or control the distribution system,” Cheney said.

Bloomberg