Robert Amsterdam

It seems abundantly clear that no one in Moscow is particularly concerned by these kind of pronouncements or feeble diplomacy, but here goes what French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner is saying:

"We cannot accept these violations of international law, of accords for security and cooperation in Europe, of United Nations resolutions, and the taking ... of a territory by the army of a neighboring country," Kouchner said.

Asked about his own earlier comments warning of a risk of ethnic cleansing by Russian forces in the territories, Kouchner responded: "I hope that didn't happen overnight. But there has already been evidence that the armies are pushing away the Ossetians who favored Georgia, and in a certain way, yes, an ethnic cleansing is taking place."

"This is going to get worse, and it's an extremely dangerous situation," he said.