August 15, 2008 - New York - American Jewish Committee (AJC), in a letter to President George Bush, expressed its concern for the ongoing crisis in Georgia and lauded the president for his strong statements of support.
"We welcome your decision to send Secretary of State Rice to France to meet with President Sarkozy, and to Georgia to convey our country’s support for the democratically elected government of that country," wrote AJC President Richard Sideman and AJC Executive Director David A. Harris.
AJC also welcomed the shipments of American humanitarian aid to Georgia, noting that "Georgia is a stalwart ally of the United States, and has been there for us, in Iraq and elsewhere, when we needed its assistance."
The full text of the letter is below:
August 15, 2008
Dear Mr. President:
We are writing to express the American Jewish Committee’s profound concern over the crisis in Georgia, and our appreciation and support for your strong public statements regarding this crisis. Georgia is a stalwart ally of the United States, and has been there for us, in Iraq and elsewhere, when we needed its assistance.
Mindful of the importance of ongoing dialogue with Russia, we welcome your decision to send Secretary of State Rice to France to meet with President Sarkozy, and to Georgia to convey our country’s support for the democratically elected government of that country. We also welcome your Administration’s efforts to work closely with our partners in Europe and other key countries to bring a resolution to this crisis. It is our sincere hope that these diplomatic efforts will lead to a sustained ceasefire and the restoration of the status quo ante. We strongly concur with you that the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Georgia must be respected.
The conflict in Georgia has already created a major humanitarian crisis, as the number of dead, injured and displaced is rising rapidly. In this regard, we applaud your decision to instruct Secretary of Defense Gates to begin a humanitarian mission to the people of Georgia.
In this and other efforts, Mr. President, you have the full support of the American Jewish Committee.
Respectfully,
Richard J. Sideman
David A. Harris
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