Excerpts of Interviews and Speeches by Ambassador Beyrle

"We have always believed and said many times that this conflict with Abkhazia and South Ossetia cannot be resolved by force. That is why we had been trying to talk the Georgians out of taking this step. We were saying the same things to the Russian side, and this is exactly why we were so anxious and insisted that Russian troops leave Georgian territory."

Ambassador John Beyrle Interview with TV100 (St. Petersburg) on August 25, 2008

"We were frankly dismayed by Russia's decision to recognize the independence of South Ossetia and Abkhazia. We do not see this as constructive because it is a direct affront to the territorial integrity of Georgia, and contradicts previous agreements regarding the conflict to Georgia -- including UN resolutions that were only recently supported by Russia as well."

Ambassador's Interview in Sankt-Peterburgskie Vedomosti of September 4, 2008