Russian Official Denies Deployment of Additional Forces in Abkhazia

(Tbilisi, April 2, Civil Georgia) – Commander of Russian peacekeeping troops in Georgian-Abkhazian conflict zone Aleksandr Evteev denied on April 2, that Russia dispatched additional troops to Gudauta military base in breakaway Abkhazia.

Reports said earlier that Russia deployed additional armed units in Gudauta military base, as tensions increased between Tbilisi and Sokhumi [capital of breakaway Abkhazia] .  

Russian military official claims that military hardware is pulled out of the base and only 300 Russian soldiers remain there to protect the base.

According to the agreement of 1999 Istanbul OSCE summit  Russia obliged to pull out from Gudauta till July 2001.

Georgian side doubts that Russia fulfilled its obligation and demands international monitoring of the base.

Russian and Abkhazian sides are against of international monitoring of Gudauta military base.