( Reuters ) - NATO criticised Georgia on Thursday for declaring a state of emergency and closing some media, saying the move ran counter to the Atlantic alliance's values.
"NATO is following closely and with concern events in Georgia," Secretary-General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer said in a statement, saying he had asked NATO's Special Representative for the Caucasus to tell the Georgian foreign minister that all sides must avoid violence and respect the rule of law.
"The imposition of emergency rule, and the closure of media outlets in Georgia, a partner with which the alliance has an intensified dialogue, are of particular concern and not in line with Euro-Atlantic values," he said.