(Tbilisi, June 18 2003, Civil Georgia) – The Russian President?s envoy for the Abkhaz conflict settlement held consultations with the Georgian authorities, UN Secretary-General?s special representatives to Georgia and Abkhaz de facto officials in Moscow on June 17.
Implementation of the March 7 Sochi agreement between Russian and Georgian Presidents and the mandate of the Russian peacekeeping troops, deployed in Abkhazia under the auspices of the CIS were in the top of the agenda during these consultations.
The Russian Foreign Ministry reported that during the talks Ambassador Heidi Tagliavini, UN Secretary-General?s special representatives to Georgia reaffirmed that the UN is interested in the presence of CIS peacekeepers in the Abkhazian conflict zone due to their role in maintenance of peace and constructive interaction with the UN Observers? Mission in Georgia.
Russian and UN officials expressed satisfaction with the first sessions of working groups held in Moscow over rehabilitation of power facilities in Abkhazia, restoration of railway communication between Russia and Georgia and safe return of IDPs to the Gali district.
On the same day Valeri Loshchinin met with Georgian Deputy Foreign Minister Merab Antadze. Implementation of the Sochi agreement ? restoration of the Russian-Georgian railway link via Abkhazia, safe return of IDPs and rehabilitation of the power facilities ? was discussed during the talks.
However no particular agreement was reached and the sides agreed to continue consultations regarding the issue in the nearest future. Russian and Georgian officials also decided to continue talks over the mandate of the Russian peacekeepers.
Later on Valery Loshchinin met with Abkhaz de-facto Foreign Minister Sergei Shamba. According to the Russian Foreign Ministry, Loshchinin informed Shamba regarding the talks with the UN Secretary-General?s special representative and Georgian Deputy Foreign Minister.
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