NATO expressed concern Wednesday about reports that Russia is planning to open up a naval base in the breakaway Georgian region of Abkhazia and is closely watching developments.
"NATO ambassadors are watching the situation both carefully and with concern, as they seem to be in violation of Georgia's territorial integrity," spokesman James Appathurai told reporters in Brussels.
He said that NATO Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer planned to raise the issue at talks in Munich this weekend with Russian Deputy Prime Minister Sergei Ivanov.
NATO and Russia are gradually de-freezing high-level relations, which were put on hold over Moscow's decision to send troops into Georgia in retaliation for Tbilisi's actions in South Ossetia, another breakaway Georgian region.
Russia sparked international concern by deciding to recognise the independence of both regions in the wake of the war in August. It still has thousands of troops based in the breakaway regions.
Late last month, Russia's Interfax news agency quoted Abkhaz leader Sergei Bagapsh as saying: "Indeed, there is an agreement in principle on the creation of a base for ships of the Black Sea Fleet in the town of Ochamchire."
"The sides agreed on certain technical matters. There are no officially signed documents yet," he said.
Appathurai said Scheffer's meeting at the Munich international security conference would "be the next step in the gradual re-engagement between NATO and Russia."
But he underlined: "We cannot shy away from discussions on issues on which we fundamentally disagree."
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