Russian Envoy Proposes to Convene Georgian-Abkhaz Meeting

(Tbilisi, January 9, 2003. Civil Georgia) – Russian President’s envoy for the Abkhaz conflict settlement Valeri Loshchinin, which arrives in breakaway Abkhaz capital Sukhumi on January 9, will propose to hold a meeting between Georgian and Abkhaz authorities.

Russian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Alexander Iakovenko told the reporters on January 8 that such a meeting would aim at promoting mutual trust between the conflicting parties.

Russian official said that Valeri Loshchinin would visit Tbilisi in the nearest future to hold talks with the Georgian authorities concerning the organization of the Georgian-Abkhaz meeting.

Georgian-Russian tensions regarding Abkhazia have increased recently as Russia unilaterally reopened the railway route connecting Russian resort city of Sochi to Sukhumi. Granting of the Russian citizenship to the population living in the breakaway region also causes Tbilisi’s protest.

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