Georgia insists on forced return of refugees to Abhazia

Georgian Conflicts Minister George Khaindrava is scheduled to meet with Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Valery Loshchinin in Moscow today. Loshchinin is the Russian presidential envoy for settling the Georgian-Abhazian conflict.

A spokesperson for the Georgian State Chancellery told Rosbalt that Loshchinin and Khaindrava plan to discuss the realization of the Sochi agreement signed between Russian President Vladimir Putin and former Georgian President Eduard Shevardnadze last year, which among other things provides for the return of Georgian refugees to Abhazia. The Georgians are insisting on the forced return of refugees to the Galsky region of Abhazia and taking corresponding measures to guarantee their security. Security could be provided by UN and Russian peace keepers.

At the present time, Adjarian leader Aslan Abashidze is also located in Moscow to clarify questions connected with Russia supplying electricity to Adjaria and to discuss questions of developing transportation in Adjaria. Shevardnadze appointed Abashidze as his personal envoy in settling the Abhazian conflict. Abashidze conducted active talks on settling the conflict with the Russians. The state chancellery spokesperson did not rule out the possibility that Abashidze would also meet with Loshchinin though they did not say what question Abashidze and Loshchinin would discuss.