TURKEY, RUSSIA TO DISCUSS CAUCASUS BLOC

Reuters AlertNet
Aug 22 2008
UK

ANKARA, Aug 22 (Reuters) – Turkey’s Foreign Minister Ali Babacan
will meet his Russian counterpart next month to discuss creating an
alliance of Caucasus countries that would include Georgia and Russia,
a foreign ministry spokesman said on Friday.

NATO-member Turkey has been alarmed by the conflict in neighbouring
Georgia, where Russian and Georgian troops went to war over control
of the breakaway region of South Ossetia.

Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan has proposed the so-called
Stability and Cooperation Platform, which would comprise Turkey,
Russia, Georgia, Armenia and Azerbaijan.

The bloc, which is still in its infancy, would deal with bilateral
and security issues.

Turkish and Russian foreign ministry officials will meet next week to
prepare the ground for the talks between Babacan and Russia’s Sergei
Lavrov, the spokesman told Reuters.

Turkey, which aspires to join the European Union and is a key
U.S. strategic ally in the region, is an energy hub for Caspian and
Central Asian energy exports for Western export.

In recent years, Turkey has reached out beyond its traditional western
partners and has strengthened diplomatic and commercial ties with
Central Asia, Russia, Iran and Arab countries. (Reporting by Zerin
Elci; Editing by Jon Boyle)

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress