(ROME) - Italian Foreign Minister Franco Frattini on Monday urged Moscow to be "particularly prudent" while deciding whether to formally recognise Georgia's separatist regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia.

Frattini spoke with his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov Monday as the Russian parliament voted in support of recognising the independence of the two regions, the Italian minister said in a statement.

Both Russian houses of parliament approved resolutions appealing to President Dmitry Medvedev to formally recognise the two territories.

Frattini said he "noted" the vote and asked that Russia be "particularly prudent ... considering the delicate nature of the current situation in the region," the statement said.

The pair also discussed an extraordinary EU summit on the conflict to be held on September 1 in Brussels, and Frattini stressed that the meeting is "confirmation of the European Union's commitment to finding a balanced solution to the crisis," he said.

Frattini stressed to Lavrov the "need for both sides to respect the peace plan agreed between French President Nicolas Sarkozy and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev," the statement said.

"It is essential that Russia ... provide current and precise information on the timeline and means put in place to implement this plan," Frattini said he told Lavrov.

Frattini said he would go to Moscow "on a date yet to be set ... before the informal council of EU foreign ministers" to be held September 5-6 in Avignon, France.

Since the start of the conflict between Russia and Georgia earlier this month, Rome has urged a "balanced" approach by the EU and has insisted on maintaining dialogue with Moscow.

Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi has a warm personal relationaship with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin.

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