The statement was couched in conciliatory terms and offered direct talks with the authorities of the secessionist territories of Abkhazia and South Ossetia.

Georgian prime minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili paid an official visit to Baku on Monday during which he held talks with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and other government officials.

25,000 personnel, 250 tanks and fifty aircraft will participate in the exercises which will last until 17 March

"What are you talking about? Such circumstances do not exist and never will," he said in response to a question whether such circumstances may ever appear.

The response to Russian adventurism needs to be cool-headed, realistic, principled and firm, argues Dennis Sammut in this commentary.

The two Georgians were detained on 22 February together with Archil Tatunashvili, who was subsequently reported as having died whilst in detention in South Ossetia.

The Musavat and the National Council of Democratic Forces have both announced they will not take part in the election. Opposition leaders on Saturday (10 March) addressed a rally in Baku calling for a boycott of the election

In a statement, Giorgi Kvirikashvili vents his frustration at Russia and calls for "a genuinely constructive approach from the Russian side"

Addressing the UN Security Council on Thursday, Italian Foreign Minister Angelino Alfano said that the OSCE chairmanship was committed to continuing efforts to resolve protracted conflicts in Karabakh, Georgia and other parts of the OSCE area.

Azerbaijan President Ilham Aliyev on Friday received the Minister of Defence of Georgia, Levan Izoria who is currently visiting Baku. The Defence Minister of Azerbaijan Colonel General Hassanov also attended the meeting.