Turkey Urges Caution in Georgia

Turkey called for caution in neighboring Georgia, where a standoff between the central government and its Autonomous Republic of Adjara has escalated tension.

“As a country that deems Georgia’s territorial integrity and the well-being of the Georgian people to be important, Turkey expects the tension that has emerged between the Georgian government and the Adjarian Autonomous Republic in recent days to be removed through the prudence and caution of both parties and within the democratization process of Georgia, in which it has achieved a significant progress,” a statement from the Turkish Foreign Ministry said.

As Turkish media reports, Turkey is carefully watching the developments in Georgia and is ready to lend support to help ease the tension.

“Unrest in Georgia gives us discomfort. Our Foreign Ministry has taken the necessary initiatives in regard to Georgian officials’ being sensitive on this issue,” Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on March 15. “We favor peace, not unrest, in our neighbors,” he added.