Turkey welcomes settlement in Adjaria tension

Days of standoff between Adjarian leader Aslan Abashidze and the Georgian government ended on Wednesday when Abashidze fled the region, apparently to exile in Russia after street protests against his rule. Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili arrived in Adjaria early on Thursday, a sign of restoration of his rule over the autonomous region.

"Turkey welcomes the peaceful settlement of the tension thanks to the prudent attitude of the Georgian government," a statement from the Foreign Ministry said.

In the Irish capital of Dublin, Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul also expressed satisfaction that the "problem has been resolved this way," and said Turkey would continue to help neighboring Georgia.