Protest in Western Georgia Demands Russian Peacekeepers Withdrawal

(Tbilisi, January 19, Civil Georgia) – Georgian guerrillas and the Zugdidi residents, western Georgia, started protest near bridge over Enguri river dividing breakaway region of Abkhazia and the rest of Georgia on January 19.

Protesters demand from the Georgian government not to prolong Russian peacekeepers’ mandate deployed in the Georgian-Abkhazian conflict zone under the auspices of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS). Mandate expired on December 31. 

Protesters say that the peacekeeping troops should at least remove deeper into the Abkhazian territory at Galidzga river.

Georgian government believes that Russian peacekeeping troops’ withdrawal from the Georgian-Abkhazian conflict zone will cause termination of UN observers’ activity in Abkhazia. This will lead to renewal of armed clashes in Abkhazia

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