TBILISI, July 18 (AVN) - Georgian parliament gathered for an extraordinary session here on Wednesday to discuss the delay in Russia's 50th military base withdrawal from the town of Gudauta in the breakaway Abkhazian republic.
Lawmakers discussed two drafts of the resolution dealing with violation of the withdrawal terms fixed by the Istanbul summit of the OSCE in 1999.
The issue was put on the agenda by members of the opposition Traditionalist faction. They demand indicating in the agreement that in case Russia continues to delay relocation of the base's materiel Georgia will consider withdrawal from the CIS.
The "traditionalists" insist on immediate withdrawal of Russian peacekeepers from the Georgian-Abkhazian conflict zone too. They believe that the situation in Abkhazia should be controlled by a military contingent of the OSCE or of a country authorised by the OSCE.
Chairman of the parliamentary defence and security committee Revaz Adamiya opposed this approach. He supported the "traditionalists" in their view on the delay in the base's disbandment as "an attempt to occupy and annex Abkhazia", but said that it is too early to speak about replacement of Russian peacekeepers. According to him, this issue can wait until autumn.
The session was preceded by a noisy rally of the Tbilisi youth. Activists of the youth organisation of the ruling Citizens' Union and students of Tbilisi academies and universities gathered before the parliament house early on Wednesday asking lawmakers "not to be on the bit of Moscow" and to be as tough as possible in their assessment of Russia's actions.