Moscow Supports Setting up Human Rights Office in Gali
The Russian Foreign Ministry has called on the Abkhaz side to consider the international community?s position about the necessity of opening a UN human rights office in the predominately Georgian-populated Gali district of Abkhazia.
An informational note issued on August 9 says that Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Gregory Karasin stressed the issue during his visit to Abkhazia on August 7-8.
?Karasin has also drawn attention to the necessity of taking into consideration the position of the international community in respect to solving issues related to the situation of refugees in the Gali district, including creating a human rights office there and teaching the Georgian language,? the information note reads.
The Abkhaz side has in the past opposed Tbilisi?s demand to set up a UN human rights office in the Gali district, which would monitor the situation surrounding local Georgians there.
The Russian Foreign Ministry also said that Georgia?s decision to deploy troops to upper Kodori Gorge had a negative influence on the negotiating process.
Before resuming a dialogue with Tbilisi, the Abkhaz side is now calling for the Georgian side to fulfill the 1994 agreement in respect to Kodori Gorge; the launching of monitoring in the upper part of the gorge by UN military observers with the participation of peacekeeping forces; and the reversal of Georgia?s decision to relocate the Abkhaz government-in-exile to upper Kodori Gorge.
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