BNS:Solution of Georgian-Russian conflict requires new formats - Lithuanian foreigm minister in Tbilisi
Updated 2008-05-13
TBILISI-VILNIUS, May 12, BNS - Lithuanian Foreign Minister Petras Vaitiekunas believes the existing peace-keeping methods are inefficient in the solution of the Georgian-Russian conflict, stressing the need to search for new formats.
"The existing formats of peace-keeping and negotiations have not generated a result for decades, and the conflict is escalating. Therefore, he existing formats appear inefficient," Vaitiekunas said after a meeting f five EU foreign ministers with Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili in bilisi on Monday.
In addition to the Lithuanian minister, the meeting was attended by heads f foreign ministries of Poland, Latvia, Slovenia and Sweden.
Vaitiekunas underscored the need to consider various ways of solving the onflict, noting that EU gestures here should be "pragmatic."
The senior Lithuanian diplomat said that the agreement reached in Vilnius to raise the issue of frozen conflicts in Moldova and Georgia in the talks with Russia called for "EU's active role and bigger inclusion in the solution of frozen conflicts."
"I see possibilities for a new quality of relations with Russia and Georgia. Europe is far more united," he told journalists.
Dimitri Rupel, foreign minister of the European Union's presiding country Slovenia, voiced support to Georgia on behalf of the Community, assuring that the mission of EU ministers in Georgia was "highly productive."
"We learned a lot. I believe this was the purpose of our visit - to see everything for ourselves, receive first-hand information about the latest developments. Our mission was highly productive, the Georgian issue will be discussed at the next meeting of the General Affairs and External Relations Council," said the Slovenian foreign minister.
Ministers are going to Tbilisi in order to demonstrate support to Georgia's European pursuits, its territorial integrity and to encourage maintaining peace in a complex situation, which arose after unilateral actions taken by Russia, which created tension and promoted separatism in Georgia's Abkhazia and South Ossetia regions.
