OSCE CHAIR CALLS ON ADZHARIA'S LEADERSHIP TO RESUME TALKS WITH GEORGIA

VIENNA, May 5 (RIA Novosti) - Bulgarian Foreign Minister Solomon Passy, Chairman-in-Office of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), has called upon the leadership of Adzharia to resume talks with the central Georgian government in order to resolve the crisis between them.

In a statement circulated through the Vienna-headquartered OSCE Secretariat Wednesday, Passy expresses his deep concern over the latest developments in Adzharia.

He stresses the necessity of preserving Georgia's territorial integrity and national unity as the main prerequisite for bringing democracy and stability to that country.

Passy condemns the demolition of bridges that used to link Adzharia with the rest of Georgia, describing the act as "unacceptable and senseless." He urges the Adzharian leader Aslan Abashidze against taking any such actions in the future, as they threaten stability and security not just inside Georgia, but throughout the southern Caucasus region.

The OSCE Chair-in-Office says he is hopeful that the two conflicting sides will do their best to bring the conflict back onto the political track. The use of [military] force is unacceptable, Passy emphasizes in his statement.