MOSCOW (AFP) - A senior US State Department official arrived in Abkhazia on Saturday to try to help to restore dialogue between the breakaway region and Georgia, Russian news agencies reported.
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Matthew Bryza, deputy assistant secretary of state for European and Eurasian Affairs, was quoted by the Ria Novsoti news agency as describing the situation as tense but not beyond a solution.
Bryza spoke to journalists ahead of meetings with leaders of the breakaway territory where tensions have been mounting and where neighbouring Russia -- seen as backing the separatists -- has military forces.
They reached new heights Thursday as Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili warned of a risk of war with Russia.
Foreign ministers from five EU member state -- Slovenia, Sweden, Poland, Lithuania and Latvia -- were expected Monday to travel to Tbilisi to try to mediate between Georgia and Russia.
The US official was quoted Saturday as saying it was essential to restore and stimulate negotiations between the Georgian government in Tbilisi and the Abkhaz side, suggesting that Russia, Ukraine, Turkey and others might mediate.
The Abkhaz leadership has claimed the downing of five unmanned Georgian spy planes in the last two months, while Georgia has only acknowledged one such shooting, carried out it said by a Russian fighter jet.
Abkhaz officials said Friday that an Georgian drone shot down the day before was carrying an air-to-air missile.
As deputy assistant secretary of state for European and Eurasian Affairs, Bryza is responsible for policy supervision and management of relations with countries in the Caucasus and southern Europe.
This includes leading US efforts to advance peaceful settlements of the separatist conflicts of Abkhazia and South Ossetia in Georgia.
Sunday, 11 May 2008
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