Bagapsh Against Replacement of Russian Peacekeepers

Abkhaz leader Sergey Bagapsh said on December 15 that Georgia has a legal right to demand the pullout of Russian peacekeeping troops from the Abkhaz conflict zone, adding that in case of Russian peacekeepers? withdrawal, they will be replaced by Abkhaz servicemen, news agency RIA Novosti reported.

?Abkhazia has a negative attitude towards replacement of Russian peacekeepers by joint international contingent. If Russian peacekeepers are pulled out of the conflict zone, as demanded by the Georgian authorities, we will take their place on the [administrative] border and reinforce it as a real border of an independent state,? Sergey Bagapsh said.

He said, that according to the agreement reached beween the conflicting sides, if one of them demands, the peacekeepers should leave the conflict zone, however the consent of the both sides is necessary to deploy a new contingent.

?Georgian politicians claim that they want to replace [Russian] peacekeepers by joint peacekeeping contingent. We have a negative attitude towards it and do not intend to change anything…We know very well what is hiding behind this replacement. Therefore, this variant is categorically unacceptable for us,? the Abkhaz de facto President added.     

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