Turkish Foreign Minister Calls His Georgian, Russian And U.S. Counterparts

ANKARA - Turkish Foreign Minister Ali Babacan has called his Georgian, Russian and U.S. counterparts to express Turkey's growing concerns over the conflict in South Ossetia.
Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement on Sunday, "Babacan held telephone conversations with Georgian Foreign Minister Eka Tkeshelashvili, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice."
During his conversation with Tkeshelashvili, Foreign Minister Babacan expressed his concern over the escalation of the conflict in the South Ossetian region of Georgia, and emphasized that the clashes which had already deteriorated the situation on the ground posed a serious threat to the peace and stability in the South Caucasus. Babacan expressed his regrets about the clashes which caused casualties among civilian population, and confirmed that Turkey was ready to provide humanitarian assistance to those affected by the ongoing armed clashes.
Babacan said that Turkey had already called on the parties to cease hostilities, exercise restraint and engage in direct talks in order to reach a lasting solution to the conflict. He also underlined the importance of the preservation of territorial integrity and political unity of Georgia.
Foreign Minister Babacan held a second telephone conversation with Georgian Foreign Minister Tkeshelashvili later in the same day.
The issue of four Turkish journalists in South Ossetia, one of whom was wounded, was high on agenda of Babacan's conversation with his Russian counterpart.
Lavrov expressed his readiness to provide assistance in this matter.
During his conversation with Rice, Babacan expressed Turkey's growing concerns that the armed clash in neighbouring Georgia had a tendency to endanger stability in Caucasus.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs added that Babacan was in close contact with all the actors involved in the conflict and would continue to do so in the coming days.
(UK-MS)

(DIP)