18 March 2004 20:23
Russian capital`s mayor praises outcome of talks in Ajaria
Batumi [capital of Ajaria], 18 March: Russia will very soon render Ajaria financial and food aid, Moscow mayor Yuriy
Luzhkov told journalists today after his meeting with Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili and the head of the
Autonomous Republic of Ajaria [Aslan Abashidze].
"During my visit," Luzhkov said, "many economic issues were resolved in Batumi".
Moscow's mayor noted that he was very pleased that the talks had led to a normalization of the situation.
Luzhkov thinks that Russia has played a considerable part in settling the crisis between Tbilisi and Batumi. He
stated, "We did not intervene directly in the negotiating process between Abashidze and Saakashvili. Our
involvement in organizing the dialogue between Tbilisi and Batumi was a tactical one. We were thanked by the Georgian
president and the head of the Autonomous Republic of Ajaria. We are not exaggerating, but not understating our part in
achieving a relaxation of tension, in managing to prevent an escalation of the confrontation and in deflecting the
threat of major bloodshed."
[ITAR-TASS news agency] |
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