(Tbilisi February 5, 2003. Civil Georgia) – Russian Foreign Ministry official said that that any change of CIS peacekeepers’ mandate needs to be negotiated with the Abkhaz side.
Deputy Spokesman of the Russian Foreign Ministry Boris Malokhov told the RIA Novosti news agency that the peacekeepers issue will be discussed between Russian and Georgian authorities in Moscow in the nearest days.
Georgian Minister for Special Affairs Malkhaz Kakabadze and Deputy Foreign Minister Merab Antadze will arrive in Moscow and hold talks with the Russian authorities.
Astamur Tania, an aide to Abkhaz de facto President Vladislav Ardzinba said that Abkhazia might agree to expand the zone controlled by the CIS peacekeepers.
Georgian President says he will agree to prolong the CIS peacekeepers’ mandate, which expired on 31 December, only if the conflict zone is expanded to encompass the entire Gali district. Georgia hopes that the expansion of the security zone will be a guarantee of safe return of IDPs in Gali.
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