Russia Ready to Let OSCE Monitor Base in Abkhazia

(Tbilisi, July 22, 2003, Civil Georgia) – After the talks with the delegation of the Russian MPs in Tbilisi, Georgian Parliamentary Chairperson Nino Burjanadze said that Russia expressed readiness to request the OSCE to monitor Gudauta military base in Georgia’s breakaway Abkhazia.

Georgia demands from Russia to disband base in Gudauta as required by the agreement reached in 1999 at the OSCE Istanbul summit, while the Russian side claims that it has already pulled out military hardware and the base is used at the moment by the Russian peacekeepers as a recreation center.

During the talks with the Russian MPs Georgian Parliamentary Chairperson also discussed issue of the Abkhaz conflict settlement.

Delegation of the Russian State Duma Council arrived in Tbilisi on July 21. The delegation will hold meeting with the Georgian President Eduard Shevardadndze as well. On July 21 President Shevardnadze categorically demanded from Russia to cut unsanctioned ties with breakaway Abkhazia.