14:02, 11 August 2003

Eduard Shevarnadze: "50 thousand refugees "spontaneously" returned to Abkhazia"

Georgian President Eduard Shevarnadze said Friday being of the air of the Georgian television that about 45-50 thousand refugees "spontaneously" returned to the Galsky region of Abkhazia. "One could no longer stop this process", the president said.

He noted, if Russia fulfilled the Sochi agreements between presidents of two countries on the matters of refugees' return, rail way opening and reconstruction of power units in Abkhazia, then "both Russia and Georgia would win".

At the same time, the president of Georgia exclaimed at information appeared on the opening of the Sukhumi airport. This question was not discussed in Sochi, so the air communication with Sukhumi will be restored after the adjustment of the conflict, Shevarnadze said.

Source: Interfax News Agency