SUKHUMI. June 15 (Interfax-AVN) - The commander of the Collective Peacekeeping Forces in the Georgian-Abkhaz conflict zone has pledged to do everything in his power to prevent any military action in Abkhazia.
"Today our peacekeeping contingent is 2,200 people strong, and I see no need for more servicemen," Commander Lieutenant General Alexander Yevteyev told Interfax on Monday.
Its mandate allows the contingent to raise its numerical strength to 3,000, he said.
"However, we have the required resources today to fulfill our tasks," Yevteyev said.
"The Georgian president has always made it clear that the conflict will be settled by exclusively peaceful means," he said.
"We (the peacekeepers - Interfax) know to do our job. We will try to avoid any military scenario. I have nothing more to add," the commander said.