RIGA, Dec 13 (LETA) - In view of the events of recent weeks in Georgia, the Riga City Council, after consulting with the Council of Political Groups, has decided to temporarily suspend the cooperation agreement with Tbilisi, the capital of Georgia, which is a sister city of Riga, the local government informed LETA.

Riga Mayor Vilnis Kirsis (New Unity) said that the events unfolding in Georgia are clearly worrisome and that turning away from from the European path is not in the interests of the Georgian people.

"By all means we must support the people of Georgia in their aspirations for a democratic, rules-based and European state and, as a clear sign of our attitude to what is happening, we have decided to suspend our cooperation agreement with the capital of Georgia. We will follow developments closely, consult with the Foreign Ministry and stay in contact with the Georgian community in Latvia," the Riga mayor said.

The Riga City Council has decided to temporarily suspend the agreement on cooperation between Riga and Tbilisi in the fields of trade, economy, science and technology, humanities and culture, signed on April 3, 2007.

Georgia has been gripped by political turmoil since the ruling Georgian Dream party announced that it had won the October parliamentary elections.

Tensions are expected to escalate further on December 14, when ruling party is due to choose a successor to the pro-Western President Salome Zourabichvili.