The United States is trying to wrap up its review of ties to Russia over the Georgia conflict and has not ruled sanctions in or out as a possible response, the White House said Tuesday. Asked about media reports quoting a Kremlin aide saying that US sanctions were off the table, spokeswoman Dana Perino replied.
"I wouldn't put too much stock in what the Kremlin says in terms of what is or is not on the table in another country." "But that's not to say that there is anything ruled in or out. We're still working through our process," Perino told reporters, declining to give a target date for concluding the reassessment of US-Russia relations.
"We're trying to wrap it up and narrowing down a response, but what we're also trying to do is work very closely with our European partners," she added as US Vice President Dick Cheney travelled to the region.
His "message will be clear, which is that we support the territorial integrity of Georgia, Georgia's sovereignty and Georgia's independence and we have an abiding interest in the well-being and security of this part of the world," said Perino. But Cheney, who was bound for Azerbaijan, Georgia, Ukraine and Italy, was not expected to announce the results of the review, she said.