EU urges end to Georgia political standoff

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TBILISI, Georgia, Nov. 12 (UPI) -- European leaders called on Georgia's president and prime minister to solve their political differences and avoid a constitutional struggle in the new democracy.

In Oct. 25 elections, Bidzina Ivanishvili's Georgian Dream Coalition won a majority of seats in Parliament. President Mikheil Saakashvili's United National Movement lost, though Saakashvili's term as president has not yet expired, RIA Novosti said Monday.

Ivanishvili suggested Saakashvili should step aside and call an early presidential election. Some questioned whether that was a threat of impeachment. When asked if the Parliament would impeach Saakashvili, Ivanishvili said "it would be better if he did that himself."

European Council President Herman Van Rompuy encouraged the two sides to reach an amicable political solution to the disagreement.

"I underlined the importance of the prime minister and the president continuing to interact effectively during their period of cohabitation, bearing in mind their respective constitutional roles," he said.