US supports extension of CIS peacekeepers' mandate in Abkhazia

The US Administration supports the extension of the mandate of the CIS peacekeeping force in Abkhazia by another six months, says a statement released in Washington by the press-service of the US State Department. The statement points out that the current mandate of the peacekeepers in Abkhazia will be running out at the end of June.

The United States is for a rapid advance to a political dialogue to overcome the conflict in Abkhazia, as well as for the return of displaced persons, points out the report. It also says that the Bush Administration is calling upon all the sides of the conflict in Abkhazia to agree with the principles of the distribution of powers between Tbilisi and Sukhumi, as proposed by the UN Secretary General's special representative.

"We call upon the sides to begin a dialogue for settling the remaining problems on the basis of the special representative's report," notes the statement of the State Department's press service.