TBILISI. Sept 29 (Interfax-AVN) - The Georgian parliament may demand the withdrawal of Russian peacekeepers from the Georgian-Ossetian and Georgian-Abkhaz conflict zones.
"The parliament demands the Georgian government assess the peacekeeping operation in the Tskhinvali region before February 10, 2006, and, should a negative assessment be made, the parliament must demand Russia withdraw its peacekeeping forces from Georgian territory," parliamentary speaker Nino Burjanadze said at a news conference.
A parliamentary draft resolution on Russian peacekeepers in Abkhazia contains the same statement, but with the timeframe for assessment extended to July 1, 2006.
The draft resolution, which is likely to be adopted at the next parliamentary session, includes a demand that Moscow take measures to ensure the Abkhazia and Tskhinvali region peacekeeping operations show positive results.
"Should the peacekeeping process in Abkhazia fail to receive a positive assessment by July 1, the Georgian parliament would be forced to demand the suspension of peacekeeping operations," Burjanadze said.
However, "the decree should not be treated as ultimatum, but as a legal Georgian demand," she said, adding that "Georgia's main task is the continuation of peace talks."