RUSSIA SUPPORTS TURKEY’S CAUCASUS STABILITY AND COOPERATION PACT

PanARMENIAN.Net
03.09.2008 15:17 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov yesterday
accused NATO countries of arming Georgia, while at the same time
praising the stance of Turkey – itself a member of the alliance,
the Turkish Daily News reports.

Although Lavrov admitted that Turkey and Russia have different
approaches with regards to Georgia’s territorial integrity, he
nevertheless voiced support for the Turkish proposal for a regional
cooperation mechanism. On a one day visit to Istanbul, Lavrov offered
concrete proposals to solve the problems facing Turkish exporters
by Russian customs. In a joint news conference with his Turkish
counterpart Ali Babacan, Lavrov denied that stricter Russian controls
on Turkish imports are politically motivated. The checks resulted
in hundreds of Turkish trucks being stranded at Russian border posts
over the past few weeks. They raised questions about whether Russia was
punishing NATO member Turkey for allowing U.S. warships carrying aid to
Georgia to pass through the Bosporus. Lavrov said some countries had
breached customs regulations, prompting Russian authorities to take
more stringent measures. "We are not discriminating against Turkey,"
assured Lavrov. "We offered a more simplified method for Turkish
goods," he said, adding that the custom authorities will meet soon
to discuss the issue.

Despite his criticism of NATO countries arming Georgia, Lavrov said
Turkey’s alliance commitments were not an obstacle for Turkish-Russian
relations. "Turkey never used its NATO membership at the expense of
violating international principles. While being loyal to its NATO
commitments it does not forget its commitments to the UN or OSCE,"
said Lavrov, also expressing satisfaction with Turkey’s position on
the maritime regime in the Bosporus and the Black Sea.

While Babacan emphasized the importance of Georgia’s territorial
integrity, his Russian counterpart said the recognition of the
independence of Abkhazia and South Ossetia is the only way to secure
the existence of the people in these two regions. "We need to respect
our differences," said Lavrov when asked about the divergence of view
between Russia and Turkey. "The difference of view between Russia
and Turkey is that, this does not create hysteria. This does not pose
a threat to our relations. We take it as a matter of fact," he said
recalling how Turkey recognized the independence of Kosovo. "Russia
is loyal to the principle of territorial integrity. But there are
commitments to the security of the people too," he said.

Voicing support for the Turkish proposal for a Caucasus Stability and
Cooperation Pact, Lavrov said Russia appreciates Turkey’s efforts to
defuse the tension. Lavrov added that the two countries officials will
cooperate to set the framework of the new mechanism. "This initiative
is based on common sense," he said, adding that countries of the
region should deal with their problems rather than wait for others
to impose their own solutions.