Georgia Negotiates With Russia to Change Peacekeepers’ Mandate

(Tbilisi, January 23, Civil Georgia) – Georgian President Shevardnadze stated on January 23 at the government meeting that Georgian and Russian authorities hold negotiations to change Russian peacekeepers’ mandate deployed in Abkhazia.

Russian peacekeeping troops should remove deeper into the Abkhazian territory at Ghalidzga River. Structures of Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) are involved in the negotiations, Eduard Shevardnadze stated.

“In case the sides do not agree on peacekeepers’ relocation, Georgia will raise the issue concerning their withdrawal,” the President announced today.

Protest rally continues at the bridge over Enguri River, linking breakaway Abkhazia with the rest of the Georgia, demanding peacekeepers’ withdrawal from the conflict zone.

Russian peacekeeping troops are deployed in the Georgian-Abkhazian conflict zone since mid-1994 under the auspices of the CIS. Thier mandate expired on December 31, 2001.

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