The premiers of three European Union member countries -- Slovenia, the Czech Republic and Latvia -- on Sunday called for peace and stability in the Caucasus and the region's accession to the EU.
"We are united on the need to ensure peace, stability, territorial integrity in Georgia and the broader region and to give the region a European perspective," said Slovenian Prime Minister Janez Jansa after talks with his Czech and Latvian counterparts Mirek Topolanek and Ivars Godmanis at the Slovenian lake-side resort of Bled.
The prime ministers agreed that the international community needs to get involved to prevent further escalation of the conflict that has caused a rift among the West and Russia and that is reminiscent of the Cold War, the Slovenian news agency STA reported.
The three premiers held their talks at the Bled Strategic Forum, where the recent conflict topped the agenda due to its influence on European energy security.
The talks came only one day before EU leaders meet for an emergency summit to discuss the Caucasus crisis.
Nevertheless, Jansa said that Monday's emergency EU summit in Brussels will not discuss sanctions against Russia.
"Slovenia supports the French standpoint on this matter," said Jansa in a reference to the French EU presidency's announcement that sanctions are not on the agenda.
However, the Slovenian prime minister said he believes "that it is impossible to pretend that it is business as usual" in relations with Russia.
Source:Xinhua
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