Beijing
11 August 2008
Since then, Georgia has pulled back its military units and called for negotiations. But there has been no response from Moscow, which has been bombing areas outside the perimeters of the breakaway Georgian province.
Mr. Bush told NBC something has to be done to end the bloodshed. And he made clear he has told Prime Minister Putin and President Medvedev the next step is up to Moscow
"I expressed my grave concern about the disproportionate response of Russia, and that we strongly condemn bombing outside of South Ossetia," he said.
Meanwhile, the White House is using even stronger language in describing a conversation between Vice President Dick Cheney and Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili.
A spokeswoman says Cheney stressed U.S. solidarity with Georgia - perhaps its closest ally among the former Soviet Republics.
She says the vice-president told President Saakashvili that Russian aggression can not go unanswered. And she says Cheney repeated the warning given earlier by other administration officials - that Russia risks serious damage to its relationship with the United States.