Georgia: Abkhaz side ready to start talks on return of IDPs in Gali district

(Tbilisi February 1, 2003. Civil Georgia) - At the meeting with Valeri Loshchinin, Russian President's special envoy for the Abkhazian conflict settlement, de facto Abkhaz Prime Minister Genadi Gagulia said that the Abkhaz side is ready to discuss with the Georgian side issue of return of IDPs to the Gali district of breakaway Abkhazia.
Russian Foreign Ministry reported on January 31 that during the meeting issue of the Russian peacekeeping forces, deployed in the conflict zone under the auspices of the Commonwealth of Independent States was also discussed.

Georgia refused to prolong the peacekeepers' mandate till the closure of the railway connection between Russia and Abkhazia and return of IDPs in the region. Georgia also wants Russia to stop issue of Russian passports to the population living in the breakaway region.