OSCE Chairman says seriously concerned by Georgian-Ossetian conflict zone fighting

HELSINKI, 7 August 2008 - The OSCE Chairman-in-Office, Finnish Foreign Minister Alexander Stubb, expressed serious concern today about the deteriorating situation in the zone of the Georgian-Ossetian conflict and said he deplored the fact that a planned meeting of Georgian and South Ossetian representatives had not taken place.

"The situation in the conflict zone is extremely tense and requires immediate de-escalation. I have been in contact with Tbilisi and Tskhinvali today and urged them to stop all military action and re-establish direct contacts," the Minister said. "I expressed concern that their representatives failed to meet today and reiterated an invitation to the parties to meet in Helsinki as soon as possible. I also plan to visit Georgia in the near future."