(Tbilisi, May 30, Civil Georgia) – Issue of prolongation, or termination of the mandate of the Russian peacekeepers deployed in Abkhazia will be decided before June 30, Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov stated at the new briefing today.
Russian media sources report that Ivanov said after the meeting of the Foreign Ministers of Commonwealth of Independent States that before June the parties will work over the possible changes in the peacekeepers’ mandate.
Georgian side demands removal of the peacekeepers deeper into the breakaway Abkhazian territory that would enable Georgian IDPs to return in Gali district of Abkhazia. Abkhazian side is against of the proposal.
Georgian side also demands involvement of other countries in the peacekeeping operation in the Georgian-Abkhazian conflict zone.