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Demirel proposes

Caucasus security

accord

TBILISI, (Georgia): Turkish President Suleyman Demirel on Saturday proposed creating a Caucasus security pact aimed at increasing the ability of countries in the region to support each other and resist Russian power.

This is a very important historical idea, said Georgian President Eduard Shevardnadze, who is hosting Demirel for two days of talks, The concept proves that the world cannot remain indifferent to a region represented by a group of key countries from the Eurasian point of view.

The former Soviet republics of Georgia, Azerbaijan and Turkey are increasingly wary of Russia's growing assertiveness in the Caucasus region, where the Kremlin is now trying to smash Chechen militants.

The proposed pact would address political and economic security concerns of countries in the Causasus region that stretches across a range of high mountains from the Caspian to the Black Seas.

A statement said, that there could be no alternative to the assertion of peace and stability in the caucasus region, the ITAR-Tass news agency reported.

The Caucasus has been one of the most unstable regions to emerge from the collapsed Soviet empire, and hopes from great wealth from vast oil reserves has made the area the focus of intense competition for political and economic influence from Russia, the United States and Western Europe.

Demirel arrived in Georgia on Friday for two days of meetings with Shevardnadze which besides security focused on Russia's war in Chechnya

and a key oil pipeline that would bypass Russia.

Demirel called for a peaceful end to the Chechnya war and expressed hope that other Caucasus nations do not get sucked into the conflict. ÑAP