EU ministers in Tbilisi reaffirmed their backing of Georgia's "territorial integrity" amid fears that growing hostilities with Russian-backed separatists regions could lead to open conflict. "The European Union reiterates its support for Georgia's sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity within the internationally recognized borders," Slovenia's Foreign Minister Dmitrij Rupel, whose country currently chairs the EU presidency, was quoted by Itar-tass as saying on Monday, April 12. The foreign ministers of five European states - Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Sweden and Slovenia - were in the Georgian capital Monday to probe into escalating tension between Moscow and Tbilisi over Russia's support for the breakaway region of Abkhazia. Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili pleaded for the EU and NATO's support against what it called Russia efforts to annex part of its territory since Moscow strengthened diplomatic and economic ties to the area last month.
"The European Union reiterates its support for Georgia's sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity within the internationally recognized borders," Slovenia's Foreign Minister Dmitrij Rupel, whose country currently chairs the EU presidency, was quoted by Itar-tass as saying on Monday, April 12.
The foreign ministers of five European states - Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Sweden and Slovenia - were in the Georgian capital Monday to probe into escalating tension between Moscow and Tbilisi over Russia's support for the breakaway region of Abkhazia.
Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili pleaded for the EU and NATO's support against what it called Russia efforts to annex part of its territory since Moscow strengthened diplomatic and economic ties to the area last month.
