Lavrov, Rice Discussed Georgia
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice discussed Georgia during the meeting held in Turkey on Saturday, Itar-Tass news agency reported on February 6.
The Associated Press reported quoting Condoleezza Rice that Russia needs to show a commitment to a free press and other ”basics of democracy,” and cooperate with former Soviet republics such as Georgia and Ukraine where democracy is taking hold.
?We have briefed Condoleezza Rice over subsequent measures undertaken by us towards development of a dialogue with Georgia, as well as over talks regarding various [Georgian-Russian] documents which are now being agreed, including the comprehensive framework agreement [between Russia and Georgia], military issues, issues over Russian-Georgian border delimitation, as well as the intermediary efforts of Russia in the South Ossetian and Abkhaz conflict resolution issues,? Sergey Lavrov said.
Both, Lavrov and Rice reiterated that conflicts in Abkhazia and South Ossetia should be settled solely through peaceful means, Itar-Tass reported.
