Sokhumi Warns of Armed Conflict if Peacekeepers Pullout

In a statement issued on January 30 the Abkhaz Parliament called on the international community to condemn Georgia’s ?policy of state terrorism? and warned that ?a large-scale military confrontation? might break out if the Russian peacekeeping forces, stationed in the conflict zone under the aegis of the CIS aegis, withdraws, the Abkhaz news agency Apsnipress reported.

?The CIS peacekeeping forces represent the major guarantors in maintaining peace and stability,? the statement reads.

In a resolution adopted by the Georgian Parliament last October the government should report to the Parliament about the situation in the Abkhaz peace process by July 1, 2006. If there is no progress made by that time, the Parliament will demand that the peacekeepers begin pulling out, starting from July 15, 2006.

The statement by the unrecognized republic?s Parliament also claims that the ?overwhelming majority in the Gali district [of Abkhazia] is ethnic Abkhazian, who have been artificially assimilated by the Georgian authorities in the period of Stalin?s totalitarian [regime].?

?Statements made by the authorities in Tbilisi about the protection of the Georgian population in the Gali district are made-up and serve to cover up their aggressive plans,? the statement reads.

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