WPS Agency, Russia
DEFENSE and SECURITY (Russia)
September 5, 2008 Friday

LAVROV DISCUSSED CAUCASUS IN TURKEY;
Turkey suggests analog of the OSCE for the Caucasus

by Nikolai Surkov

FOREIGN MINISTERS OF RUSSIA AND TURKEY DISCUSSED THE SITUATION IN THE
CAUCASUS; Foreign ministers of Russia and Turkey met in Istanbul and
discussed the situation in the Caucasus.

Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov visited Turkey and met with his
opposite number Ali Babacan in Istanbul. Their conversation was
centered around the situation in the Caucasus and the ways and means
of dealing with the consequences of the Georgian aggression against
South Ossetia. Along with everything else, Lavrov and Babacan
discussed prospects of the Turkish initiative suggesting the
establishment of the Caucasus Stability and Cooperation Platform.

"The situation in the Caucasus was one of the central items on our
agenda. Stability and security in this region need our contribution,"
Babacan said afterwards.

Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan suggested the establishment of a
regional structure by the name of the Caucasus Stability and
Cooperation Platform this August. "The platform needs a regional
basis," Erdogan said. "It should promote peace and security in the
region and allow for the advancement of economic cooperation and
energy security." Membership in the structure was suggested for five
countries – Russia, Turkey, Azerbaijan, Georgia, and Armenia. Erdogan
suggested that the structure emulate OSCE guidelines.

Russian diplomatic circles found the idea quite interesting and
promising. As far as Moscow is concerned, the Platform will provide
cooperation between the countries of the region without any external
influence and this is what makes it so attractive.

Lavrov meanwhile promised a continuation of the Russian-Turkish
consultations. He said Russia shared the eagerness to design a
mechanism that would inhibit conflict potential of the region and
boost stability but added that it was necessary to set up proper
conditions for it first and that meant dealing with the consequences
of Georgian aggression.

The Montreaux Convention and its observance by Turkey was another
subject discussed in Istanbul. Moscow believes that Turkey violated
the Montreaux Convention when it allowed so many NATO ships to steam
into the Black Sea.

Source: Nezavisimaya Gazeta, September 3, 2008, p. 9