ESTONIA: FOREIGN MINISTER AND PARLIAMENT SPEAK OUT

UNCLAS TALLINN 000145 SIPDIS SIPDIS FOR EUR/NB KATHERINE GARRY E.O. 12958 TAGS: PREL PGOV EUN RS GG EN SUBJECT: ESTONIA: FOREIGN MINISTER AND PARLIAMENT SPEAK OUT AGAINST RUSSIAN ACTIONS IN GEORGIA REF: TALLINN 139 ¶1. (U) On April 23, after an extraordinary session of Parliament, Estonian Foreign Minister Urmas Paet and the Parliament released statements in support of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Georgia. The parliament's statement called on Russia to suspend the regulation signed by President Putin last week tightening Russian contacts with the de facto authorities of Abkhazia and South Ossetia. Parliament also welcomed statements by the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (April 17) and the EU (April 18) confirming support for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Georgia and calling on Russia to honor its commitments toward a peaceful settlement of differences. Finally, the parliament statement noted that Russia's failure to promote peace in accordance with its commitments as a member of the UN Secretary General's Group of Friends of Georgia calls into question a potential partnership and cooperation accord between the European Union and Russia. ¶2. (U) In his own strongly worded statement, FM Paet condemned the shooting down of an unmanned Georgian plane on Georgian territory, Russian attempts to intensify Abkhazia and South Ossetia accession desires, and Russia's refusal to obey the Commonwealth of Independent States' economic blockade against Abkhazia. FM Paet stressed that the international community must not leave Georgia alone, and needs to confront these infractions of international norms. At the same time, FM Paet called on both Georgia and Russia to restrain from exacerbating the situation and seek ways to peacefully resolve the current conflict. PHILLIPS