Senior Russian, U.S. Officials Discuss Conflicts

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice discussed the current situation in the Abkhaz and South Ossetian conflict zones during a telephone conversation on July 16, the Russian Foreign Ministry said.

On the same day, their deputies, Grigory Karasin and Daniel Fried, also spoke by phone on the Abkhaz conflict.

The Russian side again stressed the necessity to sign a non-use of force treaty between the conflicting sides and also the need for the withdrawal of Georgian troops from the Upper Kodori Gorge.

“It would create a favorable atmosphere for defusing tensions, confidence building between the sides,” the Russian Foreign Ministry said.

During her recent visit to Georgia on July 10, Rice said that the United States was concerned over some Russian moves in respect of the breakaway regions, as they did not, she said, contribute to the peaceful resolution of the conflicts. She also said that the United States was trying to reinvigorate the peace process in Abkhazia.