President Eduard Shevardnadze of Georgia urged Russia yesterday not to get involved in the conflict in Georgia's breakaway province of Abkhazia if it wanted to rebuild good relations with Tbilisi.
Fighting in separatist Abkhazia, which gained de facto independence from Georgia after a 1992 -1993 war, flared up last week amid mutual accusations of foul play by Russia and Georgia.
"Normal and good-neighbourly relations will prevail between Georgia and Russia. But there is one condition - let them (Russians) not get in our way in Abkhazia," the former Soviet foreign minister told state television.
The Council of Europe's parliamentary assembly said, however, Russia could play a constructive role in Abkhazia and urged all parties to halt hostilities to avoid further destabilising the region.
Abkhazian forces say they are fighting an encircled group of guerrillas who have attacked villages in the lawless Kodori gorge, which separates Abkhazia from Georgia proper.
Abkhazia, which enjoys no international recognition, has accused Georgia of orchestrating the fighting in which more than a dozen people have been killed. Abkhazia said it used air raids on Thursday to dislodge the guerrillas.
Moscow says the group largely consists of rebels from its own separatist region of Chechnya, operating with tacit backing from Tbilisi.
Georgia says Russian support for Abkhazia prevented it from quelling the separatist uprising in 1993. It has accused Moscow of sending warplanes across the border to help Abkhazia beat back the latest guerrilla attack. Moscow denies any involvement.
In Istanbul, the Georgian Foreign Minister, Mr Irakly Menagarishvili, described the clashes a provocation and called for a meeting with Turkey and the US to discuss the situation.
"We consider the latest events, which aim to break down stability in Georgia and the Caucasus, a provocation," he said after meeting the Turkish Foreign Minister, Mr Ismail Cem.
Turkey, whose military trains Georgian forces, enjoys close relations with Georgia even though Ankara is attempting to improve ties with Russia.
Relations between Russia and Georgia, however, have remained sour since the 1992-1993 Abkhazian conflict, although Tbilisi has allowed some 2,000 Russian peacekeepers to police an uneasy truce with the Abkhazian separatists.
Georgia's parliament voted on Thursday to demand the withdrawal of the Russian peacekeepers. Mr Shevardnadze supported the move after being confronted by 1,000 angry protesters demanding the return of the rebel region.
The Russian Prime Minister, Mr Mikhail Kasyanov, cautioned Tbilisi yesterday against ordering out the peacekeepers.
"The political situation is growing more and more tense," Mr Kasyanov said in televised remarks."It could lead to a further deterioration of the situation there."
Lord Russell-Johnston, chairman of the Council of Europe's parliamentary assembly, said all parties should show restrain to prevent further escalation.
"All military activities should cease immediately and political dialogue should be put in place to find a peaceful solution ... Russia, which is deploying peacekeeping troops in Abkhazia, could play a constructive role in this regard," he said.
Georgia wants an international force to replace Russian peacekeepers. Abkhazia wants the peacekeepers to remain. Its self-styled defence minister told Interfax that if the Russian troops were removed, his forces would take up their positions.