What are Russia's concerns

Watching President Medvedev's interview with Bridget Kendall on the BBC last night and seeing his comment piece in this morning's Ft,it is pretty clear that whatever the motivations behind the conflict,Russia will not be stepping back.The incense of justice that the Russian's have over the treatment of people that they feel an affinity to through race is overwhelming.

Last night Medvedev spoke of 17 years of injustice and the genocide being threatened by the Georgians that led to the intervention

Can you imagine what it was like for the Abkhaz people to have their university in Sukhumi closed down by the Tbilisi government on the grounds that they allegedly had no proper language or history or culture and so did not need a university? The newly independent Georgia inflicted a vicious war on its minority nations, displacing thousands of people and sowing seeds of discontent that could only grow. These were tinderboxes, right on Russia’s doorstep, which Russian peacekeepers strove to keep from igniting.

he says in the FT.

Of course what we are not clear about is whether this policy extends to other displaced Russian people.If it does then the countries of Ukraine,Belarus and Estonia need to be on their guard.

A new cold war? I don't think we are at that point but the West must work with Russia to solve its problems and concerns.Sending Dick Cheney to the Black Sea is not the solution.It threatens a military intervention that can never happen.Similarly David Miliband's trip to Kiev is simply going to provide greater provocation to the Russian federation.