Shevardnadze Backtracks Over Russian Peacekeepers Issue

(Tbilisi, January 21, 2003. Civil Georgia) – Georgian President says he cannot support Russian peacekeepers withdrawal from Abkhazian conflict zone, where they are deployed under the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) auspices.
 
A week ago Georgian President threatened not to prolong the CIS peacekeepers’ mandate until the railway connection between Russia and Georgia’s breakaway Abkhaz region is closed down.

“Their [peacekeepers] withdrawal at the moment isn’t justified,” President said in his radiobroadcast on January 20.

Opposition criticized President Shevardnadze for indecisive policy towards Russia. At the joint briefing on January 20 Zurab Zhvania, leader of the United Democrats and Mikheil Saakashvili, leader of the National Movement demanded from the government to make an official statement that Russia’s decisions over Abkhazia is an annexation.

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