Austria to open its embassies in Georgia and Azerbaijan

Austria is studying the expediency of opening its embassies in the capitals of Georgia and Azerbaijan - Tbilisi and Baku. This was stated by Ursula Plassnik, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Austria, on September 5, at the informal summit of 27 EU Ministers of Foreign Affairs, which started in Avignon in the south of France.

"I'm going to study the expediency of opening Austrian embassies in Tbilisi and Baku," Ms Plassnik has noted. "I think it's the right time to do it."

Several weeks ago, as a result of the conflict in the Caucasus, about 50 Austrian citizens were evacuated from Georgia, the ITAR-TASS reports.

"We have political and economic interests in the Caucasus," Ursula Plassnik has emphasized. "Now, the time has come to check it in practice: that means to open our embassies in Tbilisi, Baku and, probably, Yerevan."

Currently, the Austrian diplomatic activity in Georgia, Azerbaijan and Armenia is carried out from Vienna.

In the meantime, Mayor of Russian capital Yuri Luzhkov stands for establishment of diplomatic relations between Russia and the Republics of Abkhazia and South Ossetia, which Russia has recognized as independent. On Friday, September 5, Mr Luzhkov had a meeting with Presidents of South Ossetia and Abkhazia Eduard Kokoity and Sergey Bagapsh, where he congratulated them on the fact of recognition of independence of their republics. He expressed his regret that the recognition had occurred as a result of tragic events in South Ossetia, which took place "for the guilt of Georgian President," the RIA "Novosti" quotes Moscow Mayor as saying.