TBILISI - Turkish Parliamentary European Union (EU) Adjustment Commission Chairman Yasar Yakis and former State Minister Rafaeddin Sahin met on Saturday with Georgian Parliament Speaker Nino Burjanadze.
Yakis and Sahin are holding meetings in Georgian capital Tbilisi on behalf of Turkish government.
Turkey had always attached importance to Georgia's territorial integrity, Yakis told reporters following his meetings in Tbilisi.
Yakis said that the tension in Adzharia ended. However, he noted, they discussed in their meetings initiatives they could launch to improve atmosphere of confidence.
Noting that Turkey was a close friend and neighbor of Georgia, Yakis said, ''there are always steps we can take together with Georgian authorities to further improve our friendship.''
He and Sahin especially stressed in their meetings that Turkey attached great importance to Georgia's territorial integrity, Sahin stated.
Asked if Turkey could send soldiers to Adzharia within the framework of its right as the guarantor power stemming from the Kars agreement, Yakis said, ''Turkey has never had such an intention. None of 70 million Turks will think of sending soldiers to Adzharia.''
Yakis and Sahin met with Georgian Prime Minister Zurab Zhvania and were received by Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili earlier on Saturday.
Saakashvili, Yakis and Sahin took up Turkish-Georgian relations and tension between Georgia and Adzharia.
Turkey was pleased with peaceful solution of tension between Georgia and Adzharia, the Turkish Foreign Ministry said on Friday.
Yakis and Sahin are holding meetings in Tbilisi and Batumi on March 19 and 21 in order to express Turkey's pleasure with peaceful settlement of the crisis between Georgia and Adzharia and exchange views about measures to be taken between two sides to prevent reoccurrence of such a tension in the future.
Sahin and Yakis are expected to go to Batumi, the capital of Adzharia Autonomous Republic, on Sunday.
(BRC) 21.03.2004