11 July 2009, 10:00
UN observers to leave Abkhazia by the end of next week
Michelle Montas, official representative of the Secretary General of the United Nations, said at the briefing that the UN military observers and policemen will leave Abkhazia by the end of the next week.
"Presently, the UN continues curtailing its mission in the region," Ms Montas has stated.
"On July 9, David Harland, Director of the UN Peacekeeping Department for Europe and Latin America, met Abkhazian officials and discussed details of terminating the operation with them," said Ms Montas and added that "the mission had good constructive relations with local authorities and the public," as reported by the ITAR-TASS.
In his turn, Russian President Dmitri Medvedev said on July 10 that Russia can lift its veto on extension of the mandate of the mission in Northern Caucasus, should South Ossetia and Abkhazia get oriented towards a pragmatic approach. "If the approach here is more pragmatic, we'll surely lift the veto and agree on everything," the Prime-TASS quoted Russian President as saying.
