Friends of Georgia Discussed Abkhaz Issue

(Tbilisi February 21, 2003. Civil Georgia) – The UN Secretary General’s Group of Friends on Georgia (Germany, France, Great Britain, Russia and the United States) met in Geneva on February 19-20 to discuss situation in Abkhazian conflict zone.

The meeting was held beyond the closed doors. Georgian and Abkhaz sides did not attend the meeting.

The UN news center reports that Jean-Marie Guehenno, UN Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations, chaired the meeting and Heidi Tagliavini, Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Georgia, also attended.

The Group of Friends reaffirmed its commitment to the principles for a political settlement to the conflict. The Group also acknowledged the validity of the existing negotiation mechanisms.

The meeting was held in accordance to the UN Security Council resolution adopted on January 30, which says ?In order to overcome the present impasse [the Abkhaz side, in particular, refuses to even enter into discussions on the principles on which negotiations should be based], the Secretary-General intends to invite senior representatives of the Group of Friends to an informal brainstorming session.?

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