GEORGIA’S RELATIONS WITH RUSSIA AND CIS TURN ON ABKHAZIA

. President Eduard Shevardnadze had informed his country shortly before the summit that he would not consent to prolonging Russia’s "peacekeeping" operation in Abkhazia until after Russian troops begin implementing earlier CIS summit decisions — i.e., enlarging their zone of responsibility in Abkhazia in order to repatriate Georgian expellees. Shevardnadze indicated that he would give the Russian troops until December 31 to comply with those decisions, and that the issue constitutes the main test of Georgia’s relations with Russia and the CIS. An informal Russian-Georgian understanding was reached in Chisinau to defer a decision on the troops until that date; but it is far from clear whether the Georgians received any assurances of Russian action.

Azerbaijan, Armenia Clash but Also Talk.