Romania, Ukraine leaders say new peacekeeping mechanisms needed in Georgia

21/08/2008

KIEV, Ukraine -- Romanian President Traian Basescu met on Wednesday (August 20th) with Ukrainian counterpart Victor Yushchenko in Kiev to discuss the situation in Georgia and international developments in the light of this conflict. Yushchenko said turmoil in the region damaged international relations and mutual trust that had been building for years. "We must do all it takes to prevent this scenario from [arising] in cases with other frozen conflicts. We all must proclaim that we would not accept a military scenario," Yushchenko said. Basescu agreed, adding "There is a risk that sooner or later these [problems] transform into regional conflicts." Both leaders said Russian peacekeepers currently deployed in South Ossetia and Abkhazia should give way to troops under an EU or OSCE mandate. (Evenimentul Zilei, Unian, Romania Libera - 21/08/08; Xinhua, APA, Rompres - 20/08/08)