UN Envoy, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Discuss Abkhazia

Russian First Deputy Foreign Minister Valery Loshchinin held talks on November 19 with UN Secretary-General?s Special Representative for Georgia Heidi Tagliavini in Moscow.
 
The Russian Foreign Ministry reports that the sides discussed the recent developments in breakaway Abkhazia, stressing the necessity of restoring stability in the region and the resumption of Georgian-Abkhazian talks.
 
The Abkhaz side rejected participation in peace talks with Georgia after the Georgian coast guard opened fire on a Turkish ship illegally navigating towards Abkhazia in late July.
 
The sides also discussed the issue of preparing a forthcoming meeting of the Group of Friends to the UN Secretary-General scheduled for December.