"Nobody is planning to replace the Russian peacekeepers stationed in Abkhazia in line with CIS mandate with some other international forces. They excellently perform their mission, and there have been no claims to them," Vice-President of the self-proclaimed republic Raul Khadzhimba in charge of foreign policy and law-enforcement bodies told Itar-Tass by telephone from Sukhumi.

Khadzhimba's comments came hard on heels of the statement by Ukraine's Foreign Minister Boris Tarasyuk that Kiev is ready to send peacekeepers and observers to the zone of the Abkhazian conflict, including on the border with Russia.

Tarasyuk made the statement at his meeting with his Georgian counterpart Salome Zurabishvili.

"It's the first time we hear about Ukrainian peacekeepers; there were no such provisions," Khadzhimba underlined.

Abkhazia has repeatedly stated this position and will continue to insist on it, he added.

Source: ItarTass