Abkhaz De Facto Authorities Say Railway Link Operates, Peacekeepers Should Stay
(Tbilisi, January 31, 2003. Civil Georgia) – Presidential aide of the unrecognized Abkhaz Republic Astamur Tania told Civil Georgia today “railway connection between Russia and Abkhazia is not terminated and will continue to operate.”
On January 28 Georgian President Shevardnadze said after the meeting with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin that the Russian President supports the reopening of the railway parallel to return of IDPs in Abkhazia.
Georgian side demands closure of the railway to prolong the Russian peacekeepers mandate in the conflict zone. Abkhaz side is categorically against of Russian peacekeepers’ withdrawal.
“Russian peacekeeping forces are the only guarantee of peace and stability in the region,” Astamur Tania told Civil Georgia.
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