"At the time when Council of Europe celebrates its expansion, shocking facts come from one of the Council's members - Georgia. The bridges explode because representatives of local and central authorities lost their ability to hold dialogue," Mr. Schwimmer's statement reads.
"I persistently call upon Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili and Adzharian leader Aslan Abashidze to imply all the necessary efforts in order to stop the escalation of the current situation. A bridge can be restored, but not a human life taken away with a single gun shot," Mr. Schwimmer said.
The Council of Europe Secretary General once again confirmed his readiness "to support the dialogue and help Georgia form a legal base in relations between the central authority and the autonomy." "It's not the time to blow up bridges, it's the time to construct bridges," Mr. Schwimmer noted.
