Agence France Presse
Aug 9 2008

Iran offers ‘any help’ in S.Ossetia crisis

TEHRAN (AFP) ‘ Iran, watching conflict in the Caucasus unfold
virtually on its doorstep, said Saturday it was "ready to offer any
help" to end the crisis in South Ossetia.

"The Islamic republic voices concern over the military conflicts in
South Ossetia that have led to the killing of defenceless people and
calls for an immediate halt to the clashes," foreign ministry
spokesman Hassan Ghashghavi said.

"Iran is ready to offer any help … under its principal policies of
contributing to the establishment of peace and stability in the
region," added Ghashghavi, quoted by the Iranian student news agency
ISNA.

"A worsening of the crisis could affect the whole region with its
negative consequences," he said, urging the two sides to negotiate.

Iran borders on two of Georgia’s neighbours in the Caucasus — Armenia
and Azerbaijan — and historically maintains a close geopolitical
interest in the volatile region.

Its capital Tehran lies 880 kilometres (550 miles), as the crow flies,
from Georgia’s capital Tbilisi — about the same distance as Paris and
Berlin.