Abkhazia: Wants to Attend UN Security Council Meeting
In a letter sent on 21 January to Security Council Chairman Augustine Mahiga, Sergei Bagapsh argues that the presence of Abkhaz representatives would help council members "get a more objective picture of ongoing developments."
Abkhazia and Georgia have been accusing each other of escalating tension along the UN-monitored demarcation line that separates them. The 13-year-old UN Observer Mission in Georgia is due to be discussed at the Security Council by the end of the month.
Georgian Conflict Resolution Minister Giorgi Khaindrava was
scheduled to hold talks with Abkhaz Foreign Minister Sergei Shamba on 21 January
in Abkhazia's southern Gali district. However, the UN-sponsored meeting was
postponed due to bad weather.