Turkey proposes the formation of a Caucasian union to resolve conflicts

Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili called Monday the Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan, CNNTurk added. He gave information about humanitarian assistance need of Georgia, the state-run Anatolian Agency reported.

Turkey would start working on the formation of a Caucasian union, which would include Russia as well, Erdogan told reporters in Ankara earlier on Monday.

"I will discuss this issue in the phone conversation that I am planning to make with the United Nations Secretary-General Ban ki-moon," Erdogan said in Ankara, adding this union should be formed with the contribution of other international actors.

This proposal is seen as the latest step in Turkey's intensified efforts to resolve the conflicts in its region. Syria and Israel have been holding indirect talks under Turkey's auspices, and also Ankara signaled it took step in for the resolution of international row over Iran's nuclear works.

Turkish Foreign Minister Ali Babacan had held talks with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and Georgian counterpart Eka Tkeshelashvili as well as U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.

Erdogan also discussed the recent situation in the region with Saakashvili in an earlier telephone conversation in the day. He denied the claims that Russian Premier Vladimir Putin did not return to his calls, adding he would contact with his Russian counterpart.

The conflict in South Ossetia is forcing Turkey to find the right balance between Georgia, Russia and ethnic communities that are urging Turkey to position itself against its northeastern neighbor.

On the one hand, Russia is a major military power on the Black Sea and is an important trade partner to Turkey. On the other hand, Tbilisi is a close partner of Ankara and NATO, of which Turkey is a member.

But Turkey has little room to maneuver, as experts agree that the events near Turkey's northeastern border are a result of conflicts on a much greater scale.

Many fear that the conflict could spread into the wider region, which is seen as the main field of the power struggle between the West and re-strengthened Russia.

Russia will never be a "passive observer" of developments in the Caucasus region, President Dmitry Medvedev warned Monday. "We have never been and will never be passive observers in this region," Medvedev said in televised remarks.