US official: Russia's actions have impact
Posted: Tuesday, August 12, 2008 5:36 PM by Mark Murray
Filed Under:
White House, Security
From NBC's Libby Leist
A senior US official speaking to reporters on background this afternoon at the State Department warned that Russian military actions inside Georgia over the past week have had an impact on how Russia is viewed in the world and that Russia's membership in international organizations could be "at stake."
The official was eager to prove that the US has some leverage over Russia. "Russia has one foot in integration into the international economy and community of states, and one foot that's not quite in," the official said
"Russia is going to have to ensure its integration into the WTO and the OECD and the G8 and institutions like that," the official added. "I think the entire Medvedev agenda is at stake here."
More: "I don't think that there is any doubt that this action that Russia has taken, and the way in which they have taken it will have an impact on how Russia is viewed. But I don't want to get ahead of ourselves."
The official would not address whether the US and Europe want to push Russia out of the G8 -- they say right now they are focused on resolving the conflict with Georgia.
