The Pentagon said Wednesday that its role in Georgia is limited to humanitarian aid and will not take control of the country's air or sea ports.
Pentagon press secretary Geoff Morrell told reporters that the US military is "not looking to, nor do we need to, take control of any air or sea ports to conduct this (humanitarian mission."
The White House said earlier that a US C-17 military aircraft is heading to Georgia to deliver humanitarian supplies.
Meanwhile, as part of the US response to the Russia-Georgia conflict, the Pentagon also canceled a joint naval exercise with Russia scheduled between August 15 and 23.
Pentagon spokesman Bryan Whitman said the FRUKUS in the Sea of Japan involving ships from France, Britain, Russia and the United States "has been canceled," saying "it just wasn't appropriate in the current situation."
(Xinhua News Agency August 14, 2008)
