Russia, Georgia back Turkish-sponsored Caucasian alliance
15/08/2008
TBILISI, Georgia -- Both Russia and Georgia have backed Turkey's proposal for an alliance of Caucasian countries, Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Thursday (August 14th) after a meeting with Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili. Erdogan, accompanied by Foreign Minister Ali Babacan, visited the Georgian capital for talks with Saakashvili on the situation in South Ossetia and Turkey's proposal for a Caucasian stability forum. Erdogan later told a joint press conference, "We asked Georgia to participate in this platform. Our proposal was also welcomed by Russia." His visit to Tbilisi came a day after he met with Russian President Dmitry Medvedev and Prime Minister Vladimir Putin in Moscow. (Zaman, Sabah - 15/08/08; Hurriyet - 14/08/08)