Brussels, 03/10/2006 (Agence Europe) - Finnish foreign minister and current President of the Council of the EU Erkki Tuomioja spoke on the telephone to his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov on Thursday to express the EU's worry at the increasing tensions between Russian and Georgia. After the arrest and repatriation of the four Russian agents accused by Georgia of spying, Moscow suspended air and postal links with Georgia. During his conversation with Mr Lavrov, Mr Tuomioja called on the two sides to avoid further provocation in order to prevent any escalation, and on Russia to begin dialogue with Georgian authorities to re-establish confidence between the two neighbours.
The EU ministerial troika sent the same message to Georgian leaders on Monday at a meeting with President Saakashvili and foreign minister Bezuashvilli in Tbilisi. At the weekend, EU High Representative Javier Solana telephoned Mr Saakashvili to indicate his availability if he were needed to ease contacts between the parties. (hb)