Russia Concerned Over UN Observers’ Abduction

(Tbilisi, June 6 2003, Civil Georgia) – The Russian Foreign Ministry is concerned about the kidnapping of the UN observers in the Kodori gorge, breakaway Abkhazia.

“We hope the Georgian government will do its best to release the hostages as soon as possible,” the Russian Foreign Ministry’s statement issue on June 5 reads.

The statement also says that the situation deteriorated in the gorge in autumn 2001, when Chechen field fighters infiltrated into the gorge.

“The situation still remains dangerous there [Kodori gorge]. Russia has numerously applied to the Georgian side, calling to settle the situation in coordination with the UN Mission to Georgia and the Abkhaz side,” the statement says.

Three UN observers – two German and one Danish citizen and the Georgian interpreter were abducted in the Kodori gorge on June 5. At the moment the Georgian government has no information about their whereabouts.

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