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Turkish PM pledges peace and stability in Caucasus

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2008-08-31 11:30

ANKARA -- Turkey is ready to contribute to peace and stability in the Caucasus, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Saturday.

Turkey's new Chief of Staff General Ilker Basbug salutes as he stands next to President Abdullah Gul (C) and Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan (R) during a military parade on the 86th anniversary of Victory Day in Ankara, August 30, 2008. [Agencies]

In a televised address to the nation, Erdogan said the recent developments in the Caucasus posed a serious threat not only to regional but also to global peace and stability.

He reaffirmed Turkey's readiness to do what it had to in order to ensure a permanent ceasefire and peace and stability in the Caucasus.

His comments follow the recent military and diplomatic conflict between Georgia and Russia over the Georgian breakaway regions of South Ossetia and Abkhazia.

"We are trying to fulfil our responsibility to urge the parties to find a diplomatic solution with common sense," Erdogan said, adding that nobody should seek to benefit at the cost of others in international relations.

"Harming peace and stability in the Caucasus, in a way to incite deep conflicts, will have serious results for global peace and stability," the Turkish leader said.

"We are deeply sorry about the death of many innocent civilians in the clashes between Russia and Georgia, and we are concerned that these clashes are laying a groundwork for dangerous developments that can harm regional stability," he added.

Countries in the region should maintain a process of continuous and strong dialogue in order to restore peace and stability, he proposed.

Turkey attaches importance to Georgia's independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity, said Erdogan, and expressed his country's expectation that peace will be restored in the conflict zone, particularly South Ossetia, and the parties concerned will open diplomatic channels of dialogue as soon as possible.