Russian railway troops can stay on in Abkhazia

Restoration of the railway in Abkhazia can take more than two months, said Sergey Shamba, head of the Abkhazian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, when making comments on the statement of the Minister of Defence of the Russian Federation Anatoly Serdyukov that the units of the railway troops of Russia will leave the territory of Abkhazia within the nearest two months.

"Now, repair work is underway of the section Sukhumi-Ochamchira. Some deadline was set in advance, maybe two months, maybe three-four. If the Russian Minister of Defence has appointed two months, he hopes that the railwaymen will cope with the work within the term. But in fact, we have other railway sections in need of repair. The road section towards Sochi will also need it," Mr Shamba was quoted by the RIA "Novosti" as saying.

Anatoly Serdyukov, Minister of Defence of Russia, told in his conversation with journalists in St-Petersburg that the units of the railway troops of the Russian Federation would leave Abkhazia in the nearest two months. "There are no forces in Abkhazia that can menace Georgia, there are only builders there, who will leave Abkhazia after the end of repair works," the IA "News-Georgia" quotes Mr Serdyukov's words.