Foreign Minister Stubb continues diplomatic efforts warranted by the situation in Georgia
Press release 279/2008
8 August, 2008
Fighting in South Ossetia, Georgia, escalated last night. Therefore, today Foreign Minister Alexander Stubb has continued the talks with the parties of the conflict and other key actors.
By yesterday evening, Stubb had been in contact to both Tbilisi and Tskhinvali, urging the parties to stop any military action and to try and restore direct talks instead. He also discussed with EU Commissioner Benita Ferrero-Waldner and Swedish Foreign Minister Carl Bildt.
In the morning, the Foreign Minister discussed with Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili and EU High Representative Javier Solana. Today, Stubb will continue the discussions by contacting foreign ministers of Russia, the United States, France, Germany and Georgia, and the representatives of South Ossetia.
In addition, Foreign Minister Stubb has decided to deploy his Special Envoy Ambassador Heikki Talvitie immediately to Georgia, and he is also himself getting prepared to travel to the region. Stubb will interrupt his holiday trip to Italy and take a return flight to Finland tomorrow morning.
Further information: Counsellor Janne Taalas, Deputy Head of the Finnish OSCE Chairmanship Task Force, tel. +358 9 1605 6657, +358 40 728 4015