BRUSSELS - EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana is "concerned" at Russia's decision to boost links with two separatist regions in neighbouring Georgia, a spokeswoman said Wednesday.
"We are concerned about these unilateral decisions, we have always supported Georgia's territorial integrity," said Solana spokeswoman Christina Gallach.
Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili had phoned Solana to express his own concern, she added.
Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered his government to intensify cooperation with Abkhazia and South Ossetia and recognise businesses and organisations registered in the two territories, Moscow said Wednesday.
Abkhaz and South Ossetian officials said the moves were a significant step towards recognising the independence of their regions, which Georgia's government has vowed to bring back under central control.
"We have always believed that this type of conflict must be resolved through dialogue," said Gallach.
Pro-Western Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili, who has long accused the Kremlin of stirring up separatism, convened the national security council to discuss the Russian moves.
The declaration came a month after Russia dropped years of sanctions against Abkhazia, opening the way to a significant increase in trade links and sparking condemnation from Georgia.
Having broken from central Georgian control during wars in the early 1990s, Abkhazia and South Ossetia are economically dependent on Russia. Most residents in both areas have been given Russian citizenship.
Georgia's fragmented status was one reason given by some members of the NATO military alliance at a meeting this month in Bucharest for delaying Georgian entry to the alliance.
Both Georgian regions declared independence after the fall of the Soviet Union, but not even Russia, despite its economic support, has recognised them as separate states.
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04/16/2008 16:31 GMT