Russian Ambassador To Georgia Does Not Rule Out That After Withdrawal Of Peacekeepers From Abkhazia Armed Clashes Will Acquire A Large-scale Character

Russia's ambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary to Georgia Vladimir Gudev does not rule out that after the withdrawal of peacekeepers from Abkhazia armed clashes wil acquire a large-scale characters. He said this to the press on Tuesday. In his opinion, the withdrawal of peacekeepers from Abkhazia may lead to "tipping the balance that ensured the maintenance of even if a fragile peace and unreliable stability in the region". Russian peacekeepers do not take part in hostilities in Abkhazia, he stressed. However, "in accordance with the mandate, they are fully entitled to self-defense", he noted. The Georgian president has not yet made a decision on the withdrawal of the CIS Collective Peacekeeping Force from the zone of the Abkhaz conflict. In the ambassador's words, if the question of the expediency of Russian peacekeepers' stay in Abkhazia is considered by international organizations, Russia will take its stand depending on the obtaining situation and the extent of the protection of its interests.