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EU foreign policy chief to pay official visit to Georgia

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EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana will arrive in the Georgian capital Tbilisi on Thursday before heading for the breakaway region of Abkhazia the day after, Georgia's Foreign Ministry said.
TBILISI, June 5 (RIA Novosti) - EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana will arrive in the Georgian capital Tbilisi on Thursday before heading for the breakaway region of Abkhazia the day after, Georgia's Foreign Ministry said.

During the two-day visit, Solana is to meet with President Mikheil Saakashvili and Prime Minister Lado Gurgenidze in the Black Sea resort of Batumi, and then travel to Sukhumi on June 6 to hold talks with Abkhaz President Sergei Bagapsh.

Prior to the visit, Solana told the European Parliament in Brussels on Wednesday that he hopes the EU could make a "constructive contribution" in brokering talks between Georgia and Abkhazia.

Russia announced at the weekend that it had deployed railroad troops to Abkhazia to help repair track in the Georgian breakaway region, a move that prompted Tbilisi to accuse Moscow of preparing for military action.

EU external relations commissioner Benita Ferrero-Waldner said on Wednesday Russia's actions "might threaten to undermine stability" in the region. Tbilisi views Solana's visit as confirmation of EU support for Georgia.

In April, Russia's then president Vladimir Putin called for closer ties with Abkhazia and South Ossetia, another breakaway region in Georgia, provoking fury from Tbilisi, which accused Moscow of trying to annex the regions.

The long-running row over Georgian breakaway regions along with Tbilisi's plans to join NATO have been major factors behind the dispute.

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