[Malveaux:] You're in THE SITUATION ROOM. Happening now, condemnation of Russia from Georgians far from home what they're doing to help their loved ones get out of harm's way and have their voices heard. Also this hour, a Moscow official talks to CNN about strained U.S.Russian relations. During the current cease-fire in Gaza, Palestinian militants say they prepared a powerful new weapon. A look inside a secret rocket factory an eye-opening report you'll only see here on CNN. And a small spider with a big and venomous bite. Those bites may be on the rise. And it's more common than you might think. Wolf Blitzer is off. I'm Suzanne Malveaux. And you're in THE SITUATION ROOM. Tens of thousands of Georgians live here in the United States. And they are watching and worrying about the situation in their homeland. Some are compelled to take whatever action they can. CNN's Jim Acosta is outside the Russian consulate in New York and, Jim, what is happening there?
[Jim Acosta, Cnn National Correspondent:] Well, Suzanne, they are Georgians, they are fired up and they are standing in the pouring rain, trying to get the world's attention. But they are also feeling helpless, many of them spending much of their time making frantic phone calls back to their homeland.
[Acosta:] Near the United Nations, members of New York's Georgian community sounded off in one voice that it's time for the Russian military to go. At Tbilisi, the restaurant in Brooklyn, not the capital in Georgia, Hajpuri and Hunkali are two native dishes served up comfort food. Comfort is what these New Yorkers are seeking from their family and friends in Georgia.
[Shorena Sharkashidze, Children In Georgia:] They In July, terrified. Actually, everybody is extremely terrified in Georgia at this moment.
[Acosta:] The restaurant's owner, Khatuna Baghaturia, stays in touch with a friend in Georgia online.
[Khatuna Baghaturia, Owner, Tbilisi Restaurant:] The situation is very bad.
[Acosta:] Her three kids are in Georgia visiting their grandmother. Calling them five times a day, she urged them to flee to Western Georgia to get out of harm's way. We listened in as her son insisted they're staying safe.
[Unidentified Male:] We're not afraid of the war and we want to go home.
[Acosta:] But others are spending their time doing just the opposite calming nerves over there. Beka Jandieri's 14-year-old sister is in the Georgian capital with their mother.
[Beka Jandieri, Mother, Sister In Georgia:] The last time I spoke with my sister was like 15, 20 minutes ago. She was crying, you know. She doesn't believe that she's, you know, we're still going to be together.
[Acosta:] This woman has stayed on top of the unfolding violence with her parents and sisters on the phone.
[Maia Mamisashvili, Parents, Sisters In Georgia:] They heard some bombing close by and they're scared. They don't know what's going to happen.
[Acosta:] As for Khatuna Baghaturia, she's finding support with neighbors who hail from the other side of this conflict her Russian customers.
[Baghaturia:] We have still got like maybe hundreds of phone calls telling us that they are really sorry and they want to be with us in these hard times.
[Acosta:] And New York is home to the largest contingent of Georgians here in the U.S. Some live in the same communities as Russian immigrants. It's a reminder that even here in America that this war is not so far away Suzanne.
[Malveaux:] Thank you Jim Acosta in New York. The Georgian consulate in New York tells us that there are between 80,000 and 100,000 Georgians living in the United States. The majority of them, up to 50,000 are in New YorkNew Jersey area. There are also sizeable Georgian populations in Philadelphia and Los Angeles. The crisis in Georgia is straining relations between Washington and Moscow to Soviet-era levels. Andrei Nesterenko, Russian foreign ministry spokesman, had this to say. Mr. Nesterenko, thank you so much for joining us here in THE SITUATION ROOM. We appreciate your time. Your government the foreign minister essentially gave the Bush administration an ultimatum, saying that we're either with Russia or Georgia. I want you to hear Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice's response.
[Condoleezza Rice, Secretary Of State:] The United States has made very clear that it is standing by the democratically elected government of Georgia.
[Malveaux:] The United States has made its position very clear, it is standing by Georgia in this conflict. Is there any consequence?
[Andrei Nesterenko, Russian Foreign Min. Spokesman:] We're not definitely pleased with such statements of the secretary of state, Madam Condoleezza Rice because it's rhetorical, I believe, which is aimed just to show us as the party which should be blamed for everything what happened. I could clearly say that the aggression against the people have been launched by the leadership of Georgia, with the consequences which we all see on the television screens, huge devastating effects. Everything is ruined. People cannot live anymore in most of the places. So really people could see what happened. What happened as the aftermath of those absolutely unjustifiable barbaric actions which have been undertaken by the Georgian side against the people whom they considered to be part of the Georgian nation.
[Malveaux:] So, sir, you say that you are displeased with those comments from Secretary Rice. Is there anything that the Russian government is going to do about that?
[Nesterenko:] Well, we're not going to do anything. We are ready for the dialog, as we said, on many occasions. We're ready to continue our discussions about the situation, and our foreign minister is in constant contact with Madam Condoleezza Rice on the telephone and they are discussing most of the aspects of the whole situation. They've been talking during the period of conflict and they are talking currently, and I believe that they have a lot of things to discuss and they do. So we are trying to show to our American colleagues and partners that we cannot show the picture of what happened only from one side. We definitely understand that Georgia had been proclaimed as an ally of the United States. That's the right of the United States to say that. But what we heard from our American partners, before the conflict took place, that American colleagues cooperating with the Georgians on the military side, they could guarantee that leadership of Georgia and Mr. Saakashvili would never undertake anything which would threaten lives of the ethnic nationalities leading on the territory of Georgia, meaning South Ossetians. But the actions taken by Tbilisi of military character gave us a lot of signals that they are not in this line of thinking. And finally, they launched the aggression and that shows that unfortunately American colleagues of Georgians could not do effective measures just to stop them, and to eliminate the aggression which took place.
[Malveaux:] Sir, obviously the stakes are very high on both sides. I want you to listen to what Secretary of Defense Robert Gates said today about the situation between Russia and the United States, the relationship.
[Robert Gates, Secretary Of Defense:] If Russia does not step back from its aggressive posture and actions in Georgia, the U.S.Russian relationship could be adversely affected for years to come.
[Malveaux:] Is Russia willing to jeopardize its relationship with the United States over Georgia?
[Nesterenko:] Never we're going to jeopardize our relations with the United States. Even at this moment, when we have absolutely different, or even to say opposite approach to the description of what happened in South Ossetia. We are ready for the dialogue. We are ready to continue our exchange of views. And I believe that this well, let's say not too pleasant rhetoric is not contributing to keep our relations in the good shape, and to have a dialogue in a civilized manner, which we did in the past. We are ready to do it now. And we will continue to do it in the future.
[Malveaux:] Sir, right now
[Nesterenko:] Definitely.
[Malveaux:] I'm sorry. Sir, right now there are American men and women who are on their way to the region, a part of a massive humanitarian mission. Your government has said it will not block that mission. They will open up the ports, the sea, the borders, et cetera. But what kind of assurances can you give us that they will be protected, their safety?
[Nesterenko:] Well, we will keep definitely all our promises on that kind. And I would remind you that one out of six points of the settlement which is now going to Tbilisi for the signature, contains reference to the freedom of delivery of humanitarian assistance to the troubled area. We cannot say anything about the territory of Georgia, because it's a territory of Georgia and Tbilisi should fully, you know, realize their authority there. But as far as the part of South Ossetia and North Ossetia, through which they are also deliveries of the humanitarian aid, we could guarantee definitely 100 percent.
[Malveaux:] Mr. Nesterenko, thank you so much for joining us here in
[The Situation Room. Nesterenko:] My pleasure. Thank you.
[Malveaux:] It's the kind of story you'll only see here on CNN. A reporter blindfolded and led into a secret Palestinian rocket factory. The powerful new weapon they're working on. And he's only 5 years old. He almost died; the medical mystery that started with a bite. You're in THE SITUATION ROOM.