Russia, Georgia to Hold Consultations on CIS Peacekeeping Forces Mandate in Abkhazia

In the next few days, Moscow will host Russian-Georgian consultations on the problem of prolonging the mandate of the peacekeeping forces of the Commonwealth of Independent States, or the CIS, in the zone of the Abkhazian conflict /Abkhazia is a self-proclaimed republic on the territory of Georgia/, Boris Malakhov, a deputy spokesman for the Russian foreign ministry, told RIA Novosti on Wednesday.

According to the diplomat, the sides are going to discuss concrete issues dealing with the mandate of Russian peacekeepers.

"The Russian side assumes that the mandate prolongation problem is solvable, but this solution has nothing to do with the presence of Collective Peace Maintenance Forces in Abkhazia," Malakhov stressed.

"It is important to bear in mind that all possible alterations of the mandate require developmental work with the Abkhazian side," he added.

Malakhov reminded RIA Novosti that consultations were being arranged in accordance with a recent decision made by the Council of CIS Presidents in Kiev.

He also said Georgia's Minister at Large Malkhaz Kakabadze and deputy Foreign Minister Merab Antadze were coming to Moscow to take part in the consultations on the Georgian side.