GEORGIA AND RUSSIA REJECT TO SIT AT THE TABLE UNDER TURKEY’S INITIATIVE
Hurriyet
Aug 22 2008
Turkey
Georgia and Russia welcomed Turkey’s proposal of forming a Caucasian
platform but rejected to sit at the same table, dealing a blow to
Ankara’s hopes to form a platform to contribute a solution to the
region’s problems. The Turkish FM telephoned Friday his Russian
counterpart regarding the proposal. (UPDATED)
Georgia’s ambassador to Turkey, in an interview with Turkish Daily
News, welcomed the Turkey-sponsored initiative to create a Caucasus
union but ruled out sitting at the negotiating table with Russia at
the current stage as they were still under occupation.
Turkey had proposed the formation of a Caucasian union to strengthen
economic ties between the countries in the region to contribute to
the peaceful solution of the problems after the conflict that erupted
between Georgia and Russia. Ankara believes a stable Caucasus is
crucial for its interests.
"We are ready to discuss with Turkey all kinds of regional initiatives
but at this stage there is no possibility that we would enter any
cooperation mechanism with Russia as long as the occupation goes on
and a single occupying soldier stays on my soil," Ambassador Grigol
Mgaloblishvili was quoted as saying by TDN on Friday.
Clashes erupted in the Caucasus on Aug. 8 when Georgian forces launched
an operation to regain control in the breakaway region of South
Ossetia. Russia’s harsh military response intensified the clashes and
the conflict spread wide into the other breakaway regions in Georgia.
Russia and Georgia had signed the peace deal and Moscow vowed to
withdraw its troops by Friday. Russia, however, says there could be
no talk of territorial integrity of Georgia.
Mgaloblishvili added Georgia would have serious discussions with
Moscow that would include discussion about the Caucasus mechanism
and the breakaway regions of South Ossetia and Abkhazia once the
withdrawal of Russian troops completes and peace and stability ensured.
"After occupying forces leave and all of those people who were forced
out of their houses go back, then we will start talking and discussing
future probabilities and possibilities. But again, I can assure that
the territorial integrity of Georgia will maintain," he said.
MOSCOW ALSO REJECTS Russia also ruled out the possibility of holding
talks with Georgia under the circumstances.
The conflict had proved that the political landscape in the region
would change. Turkey faces a tough task in ensuring a balanced policy
for the neighboring region between pro-West Georgia and its energy
partner Russia.
A Russian diplomat, speaking on condition of anonymity, said earlier
Moscow had not yet given an official response and was still discussing
the proposal, TDN reported.
The same official made clear, however, that Russia would not sit at
the negotiating table with the current leadership in Georgia.
Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan had visited Georgia, Russia
and Azerbaijan, and said all of them extended their support to the
idea. Ankara also plans to include Armenia in the platform.
Turkey said it would hold talks with Armenia, a country it does not
have diplomatic relations, an attempt welcomed by Yerevan. Besides
the problems between Georgia and Russia, Turkey and Azerbaijan also
have problematic relations with Armenia.
Given the outlook of the region, Turkey’s initiative seems to be
nothing but a mission impossible.
TURKISH FM CALLS LAVROV Turkish Foreign Minister Ali Babacan telephoned
his Russian counterpart and conveyed a set of proposals as part of
Turkey’s efforts to ease tensions in the Caucasus, a spokesman for
the Turkish Foreign Ministry said.
"In a telephone call to Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov,
Mr. Babacan conveyed to the Russian side our concrete proposals
about a platform for cooperation and stability in the Caucasus,"
Burak Ozuergin said.
The spokesman said Turkish and Russian diplomats would meet next week
to work on the issue, and added the two ministers had agreed to meet
again early in September.