MOSCOW. April 12 (Interfax-AVN) - The Russian Defense Ministry has officially denied statements made by Georgia about the landing of Russian troops in the Kodori Gorge.
An observer post of the Collective Peacekeeping Force has been placed in the Georgian-Abkhaz conflict zone, the press service for the Russian Defense Ministry told Interfax-Military News Agency on Friday.
"On April 12, an observer post was placed two kilometers west of the village of Kvemo-Azhar in the upper part of the Kodori Gorge by order of Major General Alexander Yevteyev, commander of the Collective Peacekeeping Force. To ensure security, the necessary caution measures were observed when the post was constructed," the press service said.
The Defense Ministry said that Yevteyev made this decision "in accordance with the protocol on the stabilization of the situation in the Kodori Gorge of April 2, 2002."
"The protocol envisages withdrawal of Georgian Armed Forces units from the Kodori Gorge. Patrolling functions allotted to representatives of the UN military observer mission and Russian peacekeepers," the press service said.
"Permanent presence of servicemen of the peacekeeping force in the upper part of the Kodori Gorge will make it possible to control implementation of achieved agreements by the parties, ensure security of the local population, representatives of the UN mission and own security of peacekeepers, prevent re-emergence of skirmishes similar to those of autumn 2001 and escort humanitarian convoys safely," the press service concluded.