British Ambassador to Russia Roderick Lyne and his Turkish counterpart, Kurtulus Taskent, said they believe political stability in Georgia is important for stability in the Caucasus on the whole.

Interfax asked the ambassadors at a Thursday conference at the Izvestia media center if they feared an outbreak of terrorism in Georgia from the current political instability. The Turkish ambassador said he did not think that the latest events in Georgia had any relation to terrorism.

He said Turkey and Georgia maintain active political and economic contacts, and Ankara hopes that the democratic process in Georgia will regain force after the elections on January 4. The territorial integrity and political unity of Georgia are very important for many countries, especially Turkey and Russia, he said. He also said that stability in the North Caucasus is important for Turkey and Russia, which have regular consultations on the issue.

The British ambassador said that more successful development of Georgia would be significant for Georgia's neighbors and other democratic nations.

(Interfax 28.xi.03)