NATO cautions Russia over Georgia troop boost
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Russia is under NATO's watchful eye after it beefed up its presence in Georgia's breakaway Abkhazia and South Ossetia regions. NATO appealed for all parties to act to diffuse escalating tensions. (Report: N Rushworth)
NATO spokesman James Appathurai, speaking to reporters as alliance ambassadors met their Russian counterpart, said that
But he added: “In the political realtity, this is not easing tensions it is raising tensions.
“NATO is watching with concern. It wants to see all parties avoid the kind of rhetoric that we have seen that is escalating tension and not take steps ... to undermine what is already a fragile situation.”
The NATO spokesman added that, under the mandate for peacekeeping operations in Abkhazia, plans for deployments needed to be approved by the conflicting sides.
The crisis between the small Transcaucasian country, a vital energy transit route, and its former Soviet master has alarmed NATO allies who see
On Monday, NATO ambassadors met Georgian presidential envoy David Bakradze in
In a further show of support, the 26-nation alliance also announced plans for the envoys to visit
After meeting EU ministers in
European Union foreign policy chief Javier Solana said after the talks that the Russian deployment of extra peacekeepers in Abkhazia was unwise at a time of rising tensions. He reaffirmed EU support for
On Wednesday, Dimitrij Rupel, foreign minister of EU president
“After yesterday’s talks I believe that this will happen,” he told a news conference in
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