U.S., NATO EXPRESS CONCERN OVER DEPLOYMENT OF RUSSIAN PEACEKEEPERS TO ABKHAZIA
U.S. State Department and White House spokespersons both expressed concern on April 30 at Russia's stated intention to increase its peacekeeping troops in the unrecognized republic of Abkhazia, some 80-90 percent of whose population hold Russian passports. State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said "we have asked Russia to reconsider" some of its recent steps that he said risk destabilizing the situation in the conflict zone. In Brussels, NATO spokesman James Appathurai similarly said the decision to send more Russian peacekeepers to Abkhazia "does not contribute to stability, but undermines it," "The New York Times" reported on May 1. In telephone conversations on April 30 with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili, OSCE Chairman in Office and Finnish Foreign Minister Alexander Stubb called on all parties to "refrain from unilateral measures and threats to use military force" and to "re-engage in negotiations aimed at a peaceful resolution" of the conflict, according to osce.org. Council of Europe Secretary General Terry Davis warned on April 30 of the risk that tensions between Russia and Georgia over Abkhazia may "escalate out of control." He stressed the shared responsibility of both countries to restore a situation conducive to the resumption of peace talks, and called on Russia to ensure that its peacekeepers' presence "will have a positive influence on peace and stability in the region," according to a statement posted on coe.int. LF
