CAUCASUS QUARTET WILL HOLD A MEETING IN LATE JUNE

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STRASBOURG, May 18 (RIA Novosti) - The Caucasus Quartet, i.e. the parliament speakers of Azerbaijan, Armenia, Georgia and Russia, will hold a meeting in late June - early July, Sergei Mironov, Speaker of the Russian Federation Council (parliament's upper house), told reporters on Tuesday.

Mr. Mironov said to RIA Novosti that the speakers had reached a relevant agreement at bilateral meetings in Strasbourg, where the international parliamentary conference was under way.

"We do not usually disclose the agenda of our meetings. However, the Georgian problem will be obviously touched on at the upcoming meeting," said Mr. Mironov.

Georgian Parliament Speaker Nino Burdzhanadze praised Russia's role in settling the conflict with Adzharia (Georgia's autonomy) as she met the Russian Federation Council Speaker.

"Russia has contributed to the peaceful resolution of the conflict, something Georgian authorities have emphasised," said Mr. Mironov.

Mr. Mironov and Ms. Burdzhanadze also discussed the possibility of re-establishing the working groups on Abkhazian refugees, on unblocking the railroad and on the Inguri hydro power station.

"The group on refugees is the only one that is working now. It is necessary that the other two should also resume work as soon as possible," believes Mr. Mironov.

Dmity Margelov, head of the Federation Council's international affairs committee, said Georgian MPs supported the idea of Russo-Georgian activities in the Pankisi Gorge (on the Chechen section of the Russian border).

"Georgian deputies said they were prepared to provide exhaustive information on the Pankisi Gorge and conduct joint military activities in the area if need be," said Mr. Margelov.

This suggests an all-round cooperation, according to Mr. Margelov. "This will require an action plan, which will envisage visits to Pankisi by Russian and Georgian MPs and even joint military operations," said Mr. Margelov.

The senator added that Georgian MPs emphasised that the Pankisi problem had lost much of its gravity since a year ago.

"Russia and Georgia are expressing readiness for cooperation in all matters," noted Mr. Margelov.

Russia and Georgia do not need mediators for improving their relations. "We will come to terms on our own," said Mr. Margelov.

The developments in Abkhazia (self-styled independent republic within Georgia, formerly a Georgian autonomy) dominated the meeting of Russian and Georgian MPs. "It is important that the Georgian authorities emphasise the need for political dialogue between Tbilisi and Abkhazia and believe emotions should not prevail, while military actions should not replace political dialogue," stressed Mr. Margelov.

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