National Security Council Does not Intend to Discuss the Issue of Peacekeepers

(Tbilisi, January 11, Civil Georgia) – It was expected that the issue of continuing mandate to CIS peacekeepers deployed in the Abkhazian conflict zone would be discussed at Georgian National Security Council meeting planned for today.

According to Georgian Foreign Affairs Ministry the issue is not up on agenda even though mandate of the peacekeepers expired on December 31.

Meanwhile, displaced from Abkhazia hold a meeting in front of the State Chancellery building. They demand that the peacekeepers leave the conflict zone for they greatly support the separatists.

President Shevardnadze made a statement in October assuring Georgian population that Russian peacemakers would be soon pulled out of Abkhazia. Somehow he changed his mind in November stating he does not intend to hasten the process of the peacekeepers withdrawal.